Peers fundraise for ailing student

Ana Pedroza spends her afternoons much like any other teenager — she watches movies, does her homework and even takes the occasional nap.

There’s an important distinction, though. The Costa Mesa High School student has to do it connected for three hours to a kidney dialysis machine.

Pedroza’s kidneys are too small. She was diagnosed with kidney failure about two years ago, but displayed no symptoms. She found out, unexpectedly, through a regular physical.

She had been living with the problem without much complication until a few weeks ago when she had to start dialysis.

Ana needs a new kidney. Her kidney level functions have decreased significantly, and she is closing in on her 18th birthday, making the ability to get a transplant more difficult. It is generally easier to get a kidney transplant when you’re not yet of age because the waiting list is shorter.

“At first I didn’t really know what it was, my grandma suffered from same thing, but I thought, ‘Doesn’t matter; I’ll be OK,’” Ana said. “This year it started really hitting me. What a life-changing thing it is.”

Grayson Diercksmier and other students at Costa Mesa High want to help make things a lot easier for Ana.

Diercksmier, 17, is part of the business academy at the school and each year they have a showcase of their businesses. This year, on top of displaying their projects, they are using the opportunity to raise money for Ana’s medical bills.

“We want to make as big an impact as possible,” Diercksmier said.

On Thursday, her classmates will have their showcase at a conference building on 1 Witherspoon Drive in Irvine. The event is free and open to the public, and all the students ask is that people donate to Ana’s cause.

Ana’s touched by the outpouring of support.

“No one does that, no one just wants to help,” Ana said. “Usually people have their own problems, they are on their own.”

For Ana, she knew she had her family’s support but wanted everyone to know she could be stoic about her plight. Still, the reality of her dilemma can at times get her down.

When she got her catheter on her neck, people stared, she said.

“I didn’t want to go to school anymore,” she said. “But students made me cards — made me happy. It’s nice to know, besides your family, you have your peers that care.”

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com.