Modern Family’s Sarah Hyland receives new kidney from her father

21-year-old actress Sarah Hyland is a beautiful, talented young starlet with a hit TV show, Modern Family. While all of these assets and accomplishments are great her revealing interview with Seventeen proves that there aren’t many things more important in life than the love of family and true friends.

Hyland has revealed that she’s struggled from a life long battle with kidney dysplasia and that she underwent a kidney transplant surgery on April 13. The organ donator was her father. Here is a brief definition of kidney displasia, also known as renal dysplasia, via the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse:

The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs that filter fluid and wastes from the blood to form urine. Urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through tubes called ureters. Kidney dysplasia is a condition that can occur in babies while they are growing in the womb. Other terms that health care providers and scientists use to describe this condition are renal dysplasia and multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK).

In kidney dysplasia, the internal structures of one or both of the baby’s kidneys do not develop normally. Fluid-filled sacs called cysts replace normal kidney tissue. Kidney dysplasia usually happens in only one kidney. A baby with one working kidney can grow normally and has few, if any, health problems. Babies with kidney dysplasia affecting both kidneys generally do not survive pregnancy, and those who do survive need dialysis and kidney transplant very early in life.

She told Seventeen:

“You know that family is always going to be there for you – no matter what. My dad gave me a freakin’ kidney. 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, and it really opened my eyes to see who’s there for me and who’s not.”

In addition to her “freakin’ dad’s” gift the actress had nothing but great things to say in regards to her actor boyfriend, Matt Prokop.

“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. 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.”

Here’s a photo of Matt and Sarah together from back in December.

^Adriana M. Barraza / WENN.com

Sarah is featured on the cover of the newest issue for the magazine scheduled to hit newsstands on May 22.

Hyland added, “I have a second chance at life – not a lot of people get that.”

Top Photo: Daniel Tanner/WENN.com