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REHOBOTH - A kidney transplant is a serious prospect for any family, but Charlotte Todding's faces a double transplant.

Both Todding and her 30-year-old son, Kevin, need transplants because of a genetic kidney disease that has afflicted the family for generations.

Polycystic kidney disease killed Todding's father, Thomas, at age 48, because of a blood clot in his brain resulting from an operation to reduce cysts on his kidney.

PKD usually isn't lethal, but increases the chance of aneurysms, according to the National Library of Medicine.

The disease causes cysts to develop in kidneys, which interfere with the organ's ability to filter waste from the blood. Charlotte Todding was diagnosed with PKD at 20, and Kevin, who has Down's syndrome, was diagnosed at age 4.

Because there's no cure for the disease, dialysis and kidney transplants are the main treatments, Todding said.

"Mentally, Kevin doesn't realize how serious it is. Charlotte is carrying that for both of them," said Dottie Waite, Kevin's godparent and lifelong friend of Todding.

Waite and Todding's friends, Kathy Silvia and Elaine Decker, are helping to organize a benefit event for the family to be held 7 p.m. to midnight this Saturday at the Attleboro Elks Club, 887 South Main St.

The event will include live music by the band Just Us Three, food, auctions and raffles. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at the door. Donations can be sent to The Toddings Benefit Fund 21 Dennis St., Attleboro, MA 02703.

All proceeds from the event will go toward living expenses for the Toddings.

Charlotte Todding, a single parent, works at home for Masters of Design in North Attleboro, where she paints college and high school rings and other ewelry.

Recuperation from the transplant will take up to six months.

"You just want to do for her. She does lots for other people," Waite said.

Charlotte's brother, 58-year old David McGinn, had a kidney transplant last April because of PKD. His cousin, 58-year-old Chrissie Earle, donated one of her kidneys. "He has a whole new life since getting the new kidney," Waite said.

Now, Earle's sister, 37-year-old Melissa Boudria, is donating a kidney for Kevin.

Todding is still on the national donor list. Seven donors were tested, but weren't considered a match.

To purchase tickets or to send donations contact Waite at 508-222-0203, Silvia at 508-222-0393 or Decker at 508-226-0088.