Fourteen-year-old Bailey Worley doesn’t just light up a room — she leaves it glowing. Whether she’s glamming up her nails or adding rhinestones to a craft project, she’s been bedazzling life since she was little. That same warmth is evident in the way she cares for others. Her family calls her “little mama,” a nickname earned from years of doting on her siblings and cousins.
“She’s always been the one with a baby on her hip,” says Bailey’s mom, Mandy. “She’s got this instinct to take care of everyone around her.”
Driven and adventurous, Bailey loves photography, math and the performing arts. Her family bonds over bike rides, camping trips and plenty of tacos — and Bailey is the glitter glue that holds it all together.
That’s why, in the spring of 2025, it was so startling when her light began to slowly dim. Subtle changes crept in, signs her family didn’t yet know would mark the start of an unexpected journey — one that would test their strength, deepen their faith and reveal just how brightly Bailey could shine.
A hard turn
In April 2025, the Worleys set out on a strenuous hike. Normally, Bailey would be leading the way. But this time she lagged behind, unusually tired. Over the next few days, her fatigue grew, followed by frequent headaches. At first, her parents chalked it up to normal teenage growing pains. But when her vision blurred and she lost interest in her favorite activities, they knew something was wrong.
“She’s never been tired a day in her life,” Mandy says. “She’s climbed mountains and biked miles. But suddenly, she didn’t even want to do crafts or homework. That wasn’t Bailey.”
A visit to the eye doctor revealed swelling behind one eye. He urged further testing, so Bailey’s parents took her to their local hospital. Initial results pointed to cat scratch fever. But her blood pressure was dangerously high, and her symptoms worsened.
Bailey was transferred to Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital — recognized by U.S. News & World Report among the best in the nation for pediatric nephrology care — where a team of specialists ran a series of thorough tests. After days of waiting anxiously for answers, the Worleys received news they never could have anticipated: Bailey’s kidneys had failed and she would need lifesaving dialysis.
“I was in shock,” Mandy says. “Our beautiful, adventurous, thrill-seeking girl was very sick.”
“It was a blur,” says Bailey’s dad, Nathan. “We went from thinking she needed glasses, to hearing she had end-stage kidney disease. It didn’t feel real.”
A ray of kindness
Though the exact cause for Bailey’s kidney failure was unclear, knowing she was in end-stage kidney failure allowed her care team to immediately go to work, placing a catheter port and beginning dialysis. Her first treatment was on Easter Sunday. That morning, her nurse Cameron arrived with a cart full of equipment and a calm, confident presence.
“She looked at Bailey and said with a smile, ‘I know you’re scared, but I’ve done this a thousand times, and I know what I’m doing,’” Mandy says. “She was so kind and caring, it took all our anxiety away.”
From that point on, Bailey’s care team felt like family. Nurses like Shovani in the pediatric intensive care unit, nutritionist Julia, and so many others on the nephrology floor made sure Bailey felt seen and supported. They fostered her creativity by letting her draw on the windows and patiently answered each question.
“She and I always ask a thousand questions,” Mandy says. “And each time, they take the time to explain what they’re doing and why. That means everything.”
Empathy in action
As Bailey settled into the rhythm of dialysis — three times a week, with long drives and longer treatments — she began making friends in the unit. When her care team suggested adding her to the transplant list, Bailey was hesitant.
“We were confused at first why she didn’t want to be added to the list,” Mandy says. “But then she said to us, ‘What if one of my friends doesn’t get a kidney because I’m on the list?’”
Eventually, after talking with her parents and her care team, Bailey agreed to be added to the transplant list. It was a milestone moment that revealed not only her courage but her deep empathy.
“She is such a thoughtful and courageous kid,” Nathan says. “She just wants everyone to be OK.”
Faith and fortitude
Today, Bailey continues dialysis three times a week while managing her blood pressure. The family is navigating the transplant process, with guidance from the nephrology team at Levine Children’s — home to the region’s only Pediatric Nephrology Center of Excellence, dedicated to research, education and continually improving the patient experience.
“This path has not been easy,” Mandy says. “We cry when she needs to spend the night at the hospital. We cry when she has dressing changes. It’s hard stuff. But we have faith, we have each other, and we have a great support system.”
Their church family and neighbors have rallied around them, from delivering meals to pitching in with rides and chores. And Bailey herself continues to find ways to make the hard days brighter.
“Sometimes you have dialysis catheter ports, so you bedazzle them,” Mandy says. “Sometimes you’re given liquid protein, so you add fancy umbrellas and dance. Because sometimes, that’s all you can do. Our perspective has really shifted through all this. Time is short and she’s growing up so fast, we don’t want to miss a moment with her.”
Shine on
Bailey’s journey is far from over, but her empathy, resilience and joy continue to shine. Her family hopes her story will encourage others facing similar challenges.
“When the day comes that we get the exciting news of a new kidney, we know Bailey is in good hands with her care team,” says Nathan.
“Our prayer is that by sharing her story — her bravery and her way of making every hard day a bedazzled, high-school-musical experience — will inspire others,” Mandy says.
“We’ve learned to take it one day at a time,” Mandy adds. “Sometimes it’s thirty minutes at a time. You try to remember to eat, take a walk, and surround yourself with people who love you to the moon and back. In the words of Bailey, just keep going. It’s going to be OK. Maybe not today, but soon.”
Even on the hard days, Bailey’s perseverance and spirit remain.
“She shines so bright,” Nathan says. “One day I told her, ‘Don’t let your light go dim.’ And she said, ‘Why would I?’”
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