Navigating the Medical System hosted a fascinating medical lecture for our community at Congregation Etz Chaim on Tuesday, February 10, that covered kidney disease and kidney transplants. In addition, there is an engagement story connected to Renewal, which you’ll find in the second article about this event.
Rabbi Joshua Sturm, Director of Outreach for Renewal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating living kidney transplants within the community, and Assistant Rabbi at the Young Israel of Staten Island, noted, “Of all altruistic kidney donations in the whole United States, Renewal is responsible for 15-20%.” What a huge kiddush Hashem that Jews are performing through Renewal. An altruistic kidney donation means a person donates to someone who is not a family member and whom they do not know. It seems to this writer that this is our answer to random stabbings committed by those Arabs who do not know their victims and desire to bring death. Jewish people, in contrast, find people they don’t know who are in need, and their strongest desire is to bring them life.
Rabbi Sturm pointed out that donors, when asked why they are donating a kidney, generally respond, “Someone needed it. How could I not? I had the ability to help him.”
Rabbi Sturm then imparted that we are so fortunate to merit people like this. Renewal works with a few select hospitals. When individuals decide to donate a kidney, they must undergo an extensive evaluation to ensure that they will not be put at risk. Renewal is responsible for over 300 transplants to date. The procedure involves two to three hours under general anesthesia, a short hospital stay, and then two to three weeks for full recovery. Renewal deals with only live donors – a living kidney is healthier. He said that there are 300 people on a waiting list. One to two new patients are added every week. Renewal sends out an email for people to recite t’hilim on behalf of the patient and the donor during the transplant surgery. Donors range from early twenties up until age 70. It is fascinating to note that most kidney donors say the only thing they regret is that they can’t donate another kidney.
After Rabbi Sturm spoke, Dr. Zalman Suldan, MD, PhD, attending nephrologist at Hackensack University Medical Center and Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, shared a detailed lecture on kidney function, the structure of a kidney, and kidney disease. One of the outstanding parts of the Navigating the Medical System series is the high respect with which the audience is treated. You feel like you are in a medical school class learning the technical medical names and all the current research on each topic. It truly is empowering, because we all know that knowledge is power. Dr. Suldan’s lecture was one such high-caliber, empowering lecture. He included possible causes of kidney disease and treatments as well as diagrams and medical terms. He praised the Renewal organization, which matches donors to kidneys, and feels that they are an excellent model for other organizations to follow. He explained that the kidney is a small organ, four to six inches in size. Kidneys filter toxins, regulate electrolytes, maintain blood pressure, stimulate bone marrow to make red blood cells, regulate fluid and water balance, and regulate acidity levels in blood and body. He said that 95% of all cases of kidney malfunction are picked up by routine lab analysis. A person usually doesn’t know he has a problem.
He pointed out a very important fact. Taking a lot of Advil and Motrin (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen) can harm your kidneys. Fleet enemas can also hurt kidneys. He detects kidney disease with urinalysis, blood work, sonogram, and checking salts in urine.
He then explained what is involved in dialysis. It is a major change in lifestyle and a major time commitment. Sadly, dialysis doesn’t usually give people more than five years to live on the average. Dialysis is not a cure for kidney failure. There are different types of dialysis and the amount of time patients have to spend on the machine varies according to their individual problems. In general, it involves around three to four hours, three to four days a week. Renewal tries to bring the kidney to the ill person before dialysis.
Dr. Suldan suggested that you ask your doctor if your kidney function is okay. If it is not, then see a nephrologist. If it is healthy, think about donation, to give someone else life.
Hashem’s Hand, Kidney Transplant, And An Engagement Story
By Susie Garber
After the question and answer session for the Navigating the Medical System lecture, written about in the above article, Rabbi Joshua Sturm, Outreach Director for Renewal, pointed out two people seated in the back of the Etz Chaim shul who were kidney donors. When this writer spoke with these two people, Zac Blau and Yocheved Keren, they shared a story that reflects the clear hand of Hashem and teaches all of us something beautiful.
This is the story of two single people, in their twenties, living in Brooklyn who did not know each other. Two and a half years ago, Zac Blau donated one of his kidneys through Renewal. At that time he was 21 years old and he is the youngest Renewal donor. He recalls his decision and downplays his heroism. His sister had wanted to donate a kidney and was unable to do so, so he decided to do it. The person who received his kidney is a 65-year-old man who has a wife, children, a mother, grandchildren, and a brother. This man was on dialysis 17 hours a day. He had to choose which prayer service to go to with a minyan, as he could only leave the machine for one prayer service a day. Zac imparted that the experience of donating his kidney to this man was amazing! “I live every day knowing I saved someone.”
Yocheved Keren was 23 when she donated a kidney three months before Zac donated his. She doesn’t know the person who received it. She is also very modest about this beautiful mitzvah that she performed.
After donating his kidney, Zac continued his work on behalf of Renewal by volunteering, meeting with donors, and generally helping Renewal to accomplish its wonderful work. Yocheved also continued to volunteer for Renewal. At one point, Zac flew to Cleveland, Ohio, to volunteer his help with a kidney transplant patient there.
This past May, Zac, along with two staffers from Renewal, flew to Minnesota to volunteer their help for a patient receiving a kidney transplant at the University of Minnesota Hospital. He went there to meet the doctors and to help build a stronger connection between Renewal and the hospital, anticipating future surgeries. Yocheved had flown there the day before on behalf of Renewal and she was helping to take care of the donor and also visiting the recipient of the new kidney. Zac was now 24 years old and Yocheved was 26.
Later, people from Renewal suggested the shidduch. Zac still marvels at the amazing hashgachah of meeting Yocheved, a fellow kidney donor. Age and possibly background might not have brought them together in the normal course of life, but Hashem works in mysterious ways.
They went out on a shidduch date and then continued to go out. On January 14, 2016, they became chasan and kallah. G-d willing, they plan to marry on March 17. At their l’chayim, where many Renewal staffers and volunteers celebrated with them, Zac and Yocheved expressed their gratitude to Renewal.
Chasdei Hashem. Hashem fills the world with His kindness, and this wonderful story gives us just a small peek into His amazing hashgachah over all of us.
We wish a hearty mazal tov to two incredible young people who are truly role models for us all. Zac and Yocheved, may Hashem bless you with a beautiful, healthy bayis ne’eman!
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