Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/16/MNKF1GBCRJ.DTL

POSTED: 12:23 pm EST November 17, 2010
UPDATED: 6:27 pm EST November 17, 2010
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CONCORD, N.H. — Forty years ago, Jim Blanchard was given the gift of life by his brother, and he said he has treasured every second of it.

The retired Concord school teacher said he wasn’t feeling well in 1969, suffering from extreme nausea. He said he tried to hide the condition from his wife but eventually went to a doctor.

“He said, ‘Maybe I ought to give you a blood test,’ so he did, and he called up two days later and said I have three months to live,” Blanchard said. “And so he said to my wife, who took the call, ‘Better not tell him because this is his last Christmas,’ is what he said.”

At age 36, Blanchard was diagnosed with glomerulonephritis, a condition that attacked both of his kidneys.

Blanchard’s younger brother, Alan, volunteered to donate a kidney. Doctors said Jim Blanchard would be lucky if the transplant lasted for five years, even if the surgery was successful.

“They told him in the beginning if the kidney lasted five years, it was considered successful in those days, because they had nothing to measure it by because there weren’t that many done, really,” Blanchard said.

Blanchard is still going strong, 40 years after the surgery. He is believed to be one of the longest surviving kidney transplant recipients in the state.

His brother passed away four years ago, but Blanchard said they both lived relatively normal, active lives following the operation.

Jim and Alan Blanchard both helped found the New Hampshire Kidney Foundation in 1971.

Blanchard said he feels blessed in many ways, but he said everything came together for a reason.

He still lives in Concord with his wife and has five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

http://www.wmur.com/r/25826830/detail.html

Published: November 25, 2010

(Clockwise, from top left) Chris Wilson is joined by his wife Kelley and their sons Garrett, 7, and Matthew, 2, at St. Stephen the Martyr Church, Lilburn. (Photos by Michael Alexander)

LILBURN—This Thanksgiving, two St. Stephen the Martyr parishioners have truly realized the meaning behind the famous phrase from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.”

As the holiday weekend approaches, Chris Wilson and Cristina Zakis continue to recover from an operation that transplanted one of her kidneys to her long-time friend Wilson, after he found out that a bad case of strep throat had spread to his kidneys, significantly affecting the efficiency of the organs.

It was a difficult few years for Wilson and his family. In 2003, shortly after he and his wife, Kelley, had their first son, Garrett, Wilson began undergoing chemotherapy for an autoimmune disease caused by strep throat. However, the therapy was not enough to combat the disease and Wilson was told he needed to find a kidney donor or he could die. The wait for a donor, Wilson was told, was three years—possibly too long to save his life.

This was devastating news for the couple, who had just brought their first child into the world. The Wilsons began to pray about their situation and sought comfort in their Lilburn parish community.

“This church is the epitome of a community church,” said Wilson about his parish, which has proved to be a beacon of love and support after first learning of his pressing situation.

Then, in what some would describe as a chance meeting and others divine providence, the two St. Stephen parishioners, Wilson and Zakis, who had first met in college at The Catholic University of America in the late 1980s, reconnected in the narthex of the small Lilburn parish, some 10 years after they had last seen each other. Both grew up in Georgia and were amused that they had found each other back in their home state. The two families became close friends. Each now has two boys.

(Clockwise, from top right) Cristina Zakis was supported by her sons Ricky, 7, and Paul, 4, and her husband Peter in her effort to donate her kidney to parishioner and family friend Chris Wilson.

When Wilson spoke with his pastor, Father Paddy Donaghey, about his need for a kidney, the priest shared the request with the parish. But finding a match proved to be difficult.

It was during Mass at St. Stephen’s one Sunday, as Wilson and Zakis were both in the narthex tending to their young children, that Zakis learned of her friend’s situation and asked if there was anything she could do to help him.

Wilson said he needed to find a kidney donor. Zakis then learned the two shared the same blood type, making her a possible match. She realized that the operation could save her friend’s life and immediately considered the possibility, knowing she needed to discuss it with her family first. Her husband, Peter, who also knew Wilson in college, strongly felt that his wife should go through with the tests to see if she was a true match. It was a confirmation of what Zakis had already felt in her spirit.

Zakis sensed from very early on, before she even completed her compatibility tests, that she would be the one to give Wilson a kidney. She remembers praying for God’s will to be done and accepting whatever path lay before her.

“I felt such a sense of peace come over me,” said Zakis. “It was all in God’s hands, and I didn’t need to worry about anything.”

Wilson shared a sense of peace learning that Zakis would be his donor.

“What are the odds of Cristina and I going to the same college? What are the odds of Cristina and I seeing each other after 10 years? What are the odds of us being the same blood type?” he asks.

Going through three rounds of testing to find out if she was a match, Zakis felt more confident with each test that she would be the donor. She felt hopeful about the whole situation, knowing it was in God’s hands and that all would be well. It came as no surprise to her when she learned she was a perfect match.

But both Zakis and Wilson continued to feel blessed at the outpouring of support from St. Stephen’s. The close-knit community rallied around the two families, offering prayers and support, as well as financial assistance since the Wilsons knew they had a steep insurance deductible to meet if the surgery was to be performed.

It was an amazing sight to see their fellow parishioners come together in the way they did. Wilson, who is very active in the community, initially felt a little awkward being on the receiving end of so much support and was humbled by how quickly people came to his aid.

“I was overwhelmed with emotion,” said Wilson. “The amount of giving in this church is amazing. … This church truly is a family.”

The Knights of Columbus Council from St. Stephen’s held a fundraiser for the family, raising nearly $10,000 toward the cost of the operation. It was a touching realization for the families to know that their health was a priority in their community.

Father Donaghey also held a special parish-wide Mass to ask for blessings for the pair as they prepared for the operation. The church was packed with supportive parishioners gathered to pray for the two families.

Described by Wilson as a “beautiful and solemn evening,” a very special moment came when he approached Zakis, who was serving as a Eucharistic minister, to receive the body of Christ. He said that it made him appreciate more how the church is the living body of Christ and how Zakis would soon donate a part of herself to save his life.

“Cristina is my angel on earth,” said Wilson. “A living donor means giving a piece of yourself. … It is the ultimate in altruism. That is true giving. It is hard to see in this day and age.”

The operation, performed at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on Nov. 12, was a success. Both are recovering at home, and their families look forward to spending this unique and special Thanksgiving together. Both recognize the role that prayer had in this situation and remain extremely grateful to each other, their families and the community that supported them through it all.

“This shows that there is a purpose to suffering,” said Zakis, who shared her story in hopes of highlighting the importance of others becoming living organ donors. “We have to accept suffering and allow others to help us.”

“It’s been amazing, the outpouring,” said Wilson. “The power of prayer is immeasurable. The power of prayer is real.”

http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2010/11/25/givethanks03/

Almost five years ago The News-Press editorial cartoonist, Doug MacGregor, donated a kidney to his high school friend, John Bielefeldt.

John, 53, has a polycystic kidney disease, a genetic, incurable disease that created cysts that covered his kidneys. The News-Press wrote about their reunion and successful surgery in Jacksonville in September 2005.

One of the many reasons Doug donated his kidney was so John could live to see his oldest son graduate from high school.

That wish came true a few weeks ago.

Eric Bielefeldt, 18, graduated with honors from Creekside High School in Jacksonville, and John and Doug applauded for him side by side.

“It was a proud moment,” Doug said. “One of the greatest days for parents is to see their kid graduate.”

Doug plans to attend the high school graduation of the two younger Bielefeldt children.

John was thrilled to have Doug share the day with his family.

“He’s a great guy with huge heart,” John said. “We’ve gotten closer with this bond. It’s humbling and I am very grateful.”

John said his health continues to improve. And Doug has had no medical problems since donating his kidney.

“I would encourage anyone to consider an organ transplant, specifically a kidney,” Doug said. “It was worth every moment.”

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM)- There’s proof in Grand Rapids today that one person’s generosity can affect many lives. It all started with an anonymous kidney donor in the Southern part of the United States who started a chain reaction.

From that one anonymous donor four people were able to get a kidney donation. That donor started a chain that reached from an unknown southern state to South Carolina, to Sacramento, California to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

One of those recipients is Sam Karadsheh. Here’s where it gets confusing. Sam’s sister Suhad wanted to give him her kidney, but she wasn’t a match and no other match could be found. As a result, Saint Mary’s Hospital’s Donor Coordinator signed Sam up on a donor exchange list. From there they were able to connect with the woman in Sacramento who donated her kidney to Sam. Now Sam’s sister is donating her kidney to a man in Rockford.

Suhad Shatara says, “I’m happy everything’s go good and I can’t wait to do mine actually. I ask the doctor today hey take a break go have cup of coffee and come to me because I want it done.”

From there the Rockford man’s wife will donate her kidney once she finds a match. So you can see why it is called the Paired Donor Exchange. It creates a chain that Missi Ostapowicz with Saint Mary’s Kidney Donor Program says not only saves a life but creates a bond.

Ostapowicz says, “It’s a special kind of donor I believe that comes forward and says I’m willing to go out of state and heal in an unfamiliar area, people I don’t know at a hospital, they are willing to do that for their loved one I think says something extra special.”

There’s no telling how long this chain could go. The longest one was 26 lives. It doesn’t cost the donor anything to donate their kidney.

April is organ donation month.

March 18, 2010

Most live kidney donors give to a close family member. But each year, a small number of people give a kidney to someone they don’t even know.

At San Diego’s Sharp Memorial Hospital, Kay Wolff sits in a private room filled with orchids and roses.

She’s not here because she’s sick. Wolff is 72 years old, and in excellent health.

She’s recovering from surgery to remove one of her kidneys. A few days ago, Wolff donated it to a complete stranger.

“It’s a little extreme to give an organ,” Wolff admits, “but I felt extremely motivated to do it. I just felt this is a way to leave a legacy, and to really help someone in an important way.”

It took her years to decide this was the best gift she could give.

“Some people give money, and some people give their time,” Wolff points out, “but I thought this is something that I thought was significant and important, and I think it’s a time to think about donating an organ.”

None of her family needed a kidney. Wolff had tried to donate to some friends who had kidney disease. But she was never a good match. So she decided to donate to a perfect stranger.

That lucky person is Zeny Pruna. She’s been on kidney dialysis for the past six years.

Pruna came out of the transplant surgery with flying colors.

“When I wake up, they say that the kidney is working already,” Pruna recalls. “That’s a miracle for me, also. I’m very thankful.”

Altruistic organ donors are extremely rare. There are only about 100 in the U.S. each year.

Like other people who want to donate an organ while they’re still alive, altruistic donors go through a battery of medical tests. Then there’s another level of scrutiny.

Cathy Chappell is a social worker with Sharp’s kidney transplant team. She puts potential altruistic donors through an extensive interview.

“We’re looking at someone to make sure they aren’t looking for notoriety, they don’t want a lot of publicity about this,” says Chappell. “Anybody who wants to have some kind of unusual relationship with the recipient, we’re not interested in that. We really want someone who just wants to be, you know, a caring humanitarian.”

Chappell says they’re looking for a fully informed, stable person whose life won’t be adversely affected by the donation.

And she says Kay Wolff made the cut.

“I’ve been with the transplant center for five years, and in that period of time, we’ve had numerous people come to us wanting to donate altruistically,” Chappell says. “This is the first one who’s passed our screening.”

There are 17,000 kidney transplants performed each year in the U.S. Doctors say it’s a relatively safe operation. But there are risks.

Dr. Robert Steiner is the director of transplant nephrology at UCSD Medical Center. He says potential altruistic donors need to be fully informed.

“If you’re going to give a kidney,” says Dr. Steiner, “You need to know you have, depending on how old you are and your other circumstances, anywhere from let’s say one percent up to six percent risk of going on dialysis some day, and that time would be shortened if you gave a kidney. But you also need to know that you could give the gift and it is possible that a person could leave the hospital with the kidney not working at all.”

Steiner says even if it is working, it may not last.

At 15 years, about half of those who receive a live kidney are back on dialysis, and about 4 percent of transplanted kidneys fail after one year.

Still, Kay Wolff is glad she stepped forward. And she’d like to do more. But she’s not sure how she can top this.

“I don’t know, but I’ve been thinking about bone marrow,” says Wolff, “And I understand that that’s a piece of cake after a kidney.”

About 1,500 San Diegans are still waiting for a kidney. With an average wait time of three to five years, some of them will die before they make it to the top of the list.

By: ctvbc.ca

Date: Thursday Mar. 25, 2010 11:09 AM PT

Dave Wilson has been on a kidney transplant waitlist for four years. Now he’s recovering from a successful transplant, thanks to a donor he found after placing an ad online.

His wife Lois placed an ad on Craigslist out of desperation when she realized she wasn’t a match.

“I’m willing to donate my kidney to someone else out there who needs it, if they have a partner who’s willing to donate their kidney for my husband,” Lois told CTV News.

Publicity surrounding the ad finally helped Dave find a donor. Of 30 people who came forward, a complete stranger ended up being a perfect match.

What’s he getting out of it?

“The satisfaction,” Lois said. “He said, ‘I can donate it because I have two.’”

For Dave, this means a chance at freedom from the four hours each day, three days a week, that he spends hooked up to a kidney dialysis machine.

The Wilsons say no money was ever exchanged, and Lois didn’t have to give up her kidney in a trade.

But the donation is still highly controversial.

Dr. Paul Keown, Director of Immunology at Vancouver General Hospital, says cases like this might be problematic for the kidney donor system.

“It creates competition between patients on the list when we have multiple personal appeals for organs, and it really undermines the whole structure of the waiting list,” he said.

Anita Ho of the UBC Centre for Applied Ethics said placing an ad raises ethical questions, too.

“When we’re talking about putting up a private ad, there’s very little checks and balances happening in the private realm, so some people might worry that now kidneys can become a commodity,” she said.

There’s already a paired exchange registry that sets up the kind of donations the Wilsons sought on Craigslist.

As for the mysterious kidney donor, he’s asked not to be identified.

“I just think he’s the most wonderful man. He’s my hero, and it’s too bad in a way that he wants to remain anonymous,” Lois said.

Would you consider donating one of your kidneys to a stranger?
o Yes
o No
By Judith Graham, Tribune reporter

March 30, 2010

Five Chicago-area adults who have stepped forward to give kidneys to strangers may help save the lives of as many as two dozen people, thanks to transplant chains that will multiply the impact of the donations.

Two of the donors are young women in their early 20s, in perfect health and eager to help others. One is a dad honoring a 17-year-old daughter killed in a car accident. Another is a dental hygienist inspired by her father’s death. The fifth is a woman eager to repay a cousin’s act of kindness.

The transplant chains — a new development in the field of kidney transplantation — begin when someone like these five people offers to give a kidney to a stranger. Often, the designated recipient has a friend or relative who is willing to donate but prevented from doing so by medical circumstances.

If that friend or relative decides to give an organ to a stranger who is a better match and that second recipient has loved ones willing to repeat the favor, the chain adds more links. The goal is to allow the first generous act to help as many people as possible.

No transplant chains had originated in Illinois until Loyola University Medical Center entered the five so-called “good Samaritan” organ donors with the National Kidney Registry, an organization that helps arrange matches between potential kidney donors and recipients.

In doing so, Loyola committed to sending the organs wherever they were needed most. “That’s really unusual,” said Garet Hill, founder of the registry, which is working with about 50 hospitals across the country.

Medical centers tend to hold on to good Samaritan donors, seeking to help their own patients. That practice can make it hard to arrange timely matches, and even when they succeed, only one transplant results.

From Loyola’s perspective, chains have a much bigger impact, justifying a different approach. “We see every good Samaritan donor as a national treasure, not an institutional commodity,” said Dr. John Milner, director of Loyola’s living donor kidney transplant program.

A single large pool of donors and would-be recipients could facilitate more matches and shorten long waiting lists for organs significantly, he predicted. The National Kidney Registry has launched 17 chains resulting in six transplants apiece, on average.

Three chains will emerge from the five Chicago-area donors. The first started on March 18, when Christina Lamb, 45, of Melrose Park, gave a kidney to Robert Rylko, 21, of Rockford, who has Alport syndrome, a degenerative disorder.

Lamb wanted to give something back after her husband, Allen, received a kidney from a cousin in May 2006. “Someone close to us gave my husband the gift of life; I felt it was important to do the same,” she said.

The match was arranged after Loyola entered Lamb’s and Rylko’s information with the National Kidney Registry, along with information about Cynthia Ruiz, another donor.

Ruiz, 22, who lives in La Grange, came forward after her mom, Amy, became friends with Rylko’s dad on the Internet and told Ruiz about Rylko’s illness.

“It was really, really upsetting, and I wanted to do something,” Ruiz said.

Testing revealed that she was a “universal donor” who could be a match with any number of people. Knowing that Rylko could get a kidney from Lamb, she agreed to give to a stranger.

That made all the difference to Melissa Clynes, 19, of St. Louis, who had a heart transplant as a child and a kidney transplant at 16 after anti-rejection drugs wreaked havoc on her body. Her mother, Mary, donated that kidney; it was destroyed last year when Clynes contracted a virus.

With the teenage girl on waiting lists at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, her mom distributed 11,000 fliers in St. Louis earlier this year asking potential donors to come forward. Eighteen people did, but none worked out.

This month, in despair, her mom Googled “how to find a live kidney quickly” and found the National Kidney Registry. Hill arranged for the family to register Clynes, and almost immediately a match with Ruiz popped up.

The young women’s operations took place Monday at Loyola. Both are reportedly doing well.

The next link in the chain is Clynes’ 23-year-old sister, Sarah, a senior at the University of Illinois at Chicago who hopes to go to nursing school next year. Sarah Clynes’ kidney is likely to go to New York, Milner said.

A second chain will start when dental hygienist Jodi Tamen, 45, donates a kidney in early April, probably to a patient at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Tamen lives in West Frankfort and works at Loyola.

Her motivation springs in part from the memory of her father, who died of a heart attack at 62. “I just feel a strong pull to do this,” she said.

The third chain begins with Tim Joos, 53, of St. Charles, who plans to donate a kidney in mid-April. Joos is honoring his daughter Samantha, who died at 17 in a car crash almost seven years ago. Samantha had signed up as an organ donor when she got her driver’s license.

Joos has spoken often to high school students about the importance of organ donation. Last year, he said, “I began to ask myself why I didn’t do this myself.” His kidney is expected to go to a hospital in Philadelphia.

So far, the National Kidney Registry has arranged 112 transplants. Another 30 donors and recipients have been tentatively matched and are awaiting final medical approval, Hill said.

No center has listed as many donors as Loyola. “I almost fell off my chair,” Hill said. “Nothing like that has happened until now.”

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Very interesting!!!