Christina Behan, a teacher at Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School in Willow Grove, poses with some of her students. Behan is awaiting a kidney transplant and has received widespread prayer and support from her school and parish community. (Courtesy Photo)
A Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School teacher is continuing her recovery journey and waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant while receiving widespread support from her school and parish community, Catholic Philly reports.
Christina “Christie” Domingo Behan was diagnosed last summer with kidney and heart failure after suddenly becoming ill. She was hospitalized for nearly a month at Jefferson Abington Hospital, where she underwent extensive testing and treatment before beginning dialysis and rehabilitation.
After completing cardiac rehabilitation, doctors confirmed her heart function had returned to normal, making her eligible for a kidney transplant. She now continues dialysis twice a week while awaiting a suitable donor.
Behan has returned to the classroom and is currently teaching middle school students, a role she has resumed with strong support from colleagues, students, and families. School leadership and the associated parish community, St. David Parish, have helped share her story and encourage prayers and potential donor consideration.
Her husband has also spoken publicly on her behalf during Mass, noting the importance of living kidney donation and encouraging parishioners to consider being tested. Several family members are also undergoing screening, and the broader community has responded with offers of support.
According to Jefferson Health, nearly 90,000 people in the United States are currently on the kidney transplant waiting list, and living donor transplants often provide improved long-term outcomes compared to deceased donor transplants.
Behan hopes to undergo surgery this summer in order to recover before the start of the next school year, though timing remains dependent on finding a compatible donor.
In the meantime, she continues to balance teaching with ongoing medical treatment while relying on the support of her school, parish, and medical team.
