NEWS'Modern Family' Star Sarah Hyland Reveals She Had a Kidney Transplant
May 14 2012, Published 4:57 a.m. ET
Sarah Hyland may be young and beautiful with a budding career ahead of her, but the Modern Family star has quietly been battling a serious illness, which she opens up about in the new issue of Seventeen magazine.
The 21-year-old has been struggling with a lifelong battle with kidney dysplasia and revealed that she underwent a kidney transplant on April 13, thanks to an organ donation from her father.
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"I have a second chance at life," Sarah says, "not a lot of people get that."
The actress, who sat down for the interview with Seventeen while recovering from surgery, explains that the whole experience made her realize what's truly important in life — family and friends.
"You know that family is always going to be there for you – no matter what. My dad gave me a freakin’ kidney!" Sarah says. "But it's also the families that you create outside of your family. And you really find out what kind of people you're friends with."
"It was just amazing," she adds, "and it really opened my eyes to see who's there for me and who's not."
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Someone who was there for her through the good times and the bad was her boyfriend of three years, Matt Prokop, whom she lives with in Los Angeles, Calif.
"He helps me with my medication and takes me to doctor appointments and all the stuff that I need to do to take care of myself," Sarah reveals. "Any other 21-year-old guy would not be there, I guarantee it. I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have him be there for me."
We hope Sarah gets well soon — she's truly an inspiring young woman!
