By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
Yechiel Neuman is a remarkable individual, who, throughout his life – has personified the Torah’s ideals of Chessed. But now, Yechiel needs our help and assistance. Yechiel needs a kidney.
Yechiel is working with an incredible organization called, “Renewal.” This organization is a nonprofit dedicated to facilitating living kidney transplants within the Jewish community. Renewal has been around since 2006 and in that time has, with Hashem’s help, been involved in over 700 lifesaving transplants.
Renewal believes that many more people would become living kidney donors if they only understood what it was. For example, many people believe that there is an age limit. In fact, Renewal’s oldest donor was 77 at the time of her donation. There is a mistaken belief that kidney donors must take medication and restrict their diets for the rest of their lives. This too, is incorrect, although donors are strongly encouraged to develop good eating habits.
In recent years, two changes in kidney transplants have developed. The first was a protocol developed by Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles that reduced the need for blood type compatibility and tissue compatibility. It was approved by the FDA in 2004.
The second development can be called “transplant chains” where one person in Oregon can donate a kidney to another person in Oklahoma, which triggers a third person to donate to the first person’s spouse back in Oregon. This new system was made possible through the confluence of kidney matching computer algorithms, cooperation between transplant centers, and advances in kidney shipping techniques.
If someone knows anyone that can help Yechiel Neuman, please keep in mind the following five concepts:
1. A donor would spend two days in the hospital.
2. He or she should expect to be out of work for 2-3 weeks, as it takes time for their energy levels to build back up.
3. By one to two months, most donors describe feeling just as good as they did before their donation.
4. The process does not cost the donor a penny, as all of the medical expenses are covered by the recipient’s insurance.
5. Additionally, Renewal is available to reimburse the donor for lost wages.
Anyone interested in getting tested, should please contact Renewal at 718-431-9831 ext. 209 or csteinmetz@renewal.org.
The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com
