The Renal and Pancreas Transplant Program at
Saint Barnabas Medical Center performed the state's first
paired kidney exchange - and one of the first such exchanges
in the country. The match was made possible by the Mid- Atlantic
Paired Exchange Program (MAPEP), a living donor kidney exchange
registry with patients from five New Jersey transplant programs,
which is maintained by the NJ Organ and Tissue Sharing Network
(NJOTSN).
The paired kidney exchange program helps patients
get a kidney when they have a willing, designated donor whose
blood type is incompatible to their own. In a paired kidney
exchange, a kidney from such a donor is matched and transplanted
into the recipient of a second donor-patient pair, and vice
versa. The NJOTSN coordinates the procedures so both donations
and transplants occur simultaneously.
Gary Cerreto, age 24 of Bellville, NJ, was one
of the kidney transplant recipients. He received a kidney
transplant and, through the NJ PEP, Mr. Cerreto's mother,
Janet Olivieri, age 44 of Nutley, was able to donate a kidney
to her son indirectly. The other recipient was Anthony Stoia,
age 56, of Bloomfield, who was given Mrs. Olivieri's organ.
Mr. Stoia's wife, Christie Stoia, age 52, and also of Bloomfield,
donated a kidney for her husband, which was given to Mr.
Cerreto.
"It is amazing to wake up in the morning and know that he
is well," says Christie Stoia, describing her husband's recovery."I
basically feel that I have given my kidney to him."
After determining that she was not a match for
her husband, Mrs. Stoia was frustrated that she could not
make a kidney donation to relieve his ill health, a result
of kidney damage from high blood pressure. When Ms. Stoia
heard from a girlfriend that Saint Barnabas Medical Center
participated in a paired exchange program where her donation
could result in a kidney for her husband, she was thrilled.
"I told our sons that I was going to give them
back their father the way they remembered him," says Mrs.
Stoia. "He is all I have known for 32 years and I would do
anything for him, and for our sons."
The couple relates that the exchange has been
a complete success and Christie says her husband "looks younger
and is smiling again." Both have fully recovered.
"It is like hitting the lottery," says Mr. Stoia. "It
doesn't have to be about money; it's about life. I've won
the life lottery."
The Cerreto/Olivieri family also gives thanks for the best
possible gift, which was bestowed days after Christmas.
"Who would have ever have thought I could donate
a kidney to my son this way," says Mrs. Olivieri. "I've cried
a lot of happy tears ... for me this is a celebration of
life," she reflects.
In the midst of final preparations for
the transplant, Mr. Cerreto and his family were unphased
about making history as one of the first such transplants
in the country. "
"We are just excited about getting a kidney
for Gary," says Ms. Olivieri, who had watched her son's
life become increasingly limited by renal disease. When
the MAPEP was introduced to her by the transplant team
at SBMC, she says she jumped at the opportunity. "It is
all about having more choices for people who need a transplant," she
reflects.
For Mr. Cerreto, the transplant represents
a gateway to a new life. Serious and reserved during the
final week before surgery, he was focused on learning how
he could take the best possible care of the new kidney.
"I want it to last at least 25 years," he
said, referring to the average maximum life of a transplanted
kidney. Due to his fragile health, Mr. Cerreto has not
been able to work. "Ultimately, I want to get a job and
start living a normal life," he ventured.
|
| The participants in New Jersey's first
paired kidney exchange met three months after the momentous
surgery to give thanks for the transformation in their
lives. Standing: Gary Cerreto (left), Anthony Stoia;
seated: Christie Stoia (left), Janet Olivieri. |
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