Orlando woman to run Disney Half Marathon after kidney donation

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Orlando woman to run Disney Half Marathon after kidney donation
Cari Mutnick will be one of a record 27,300 entered in the Disney Half Marathon.
January 07, 2011|By Stephen Ruiz, Orlando Sentinel

One question changed Cheryl Mutnick's vote.

Her husband, Joel, needed a kidney transplant. They had traveled from their Cooper City home in South Florida to Orlando to get tested for the transplant list but were told the wait could be up to five years.

Their daughter Cari, a speech therapist at Florida Hospital, had a quicker solution — one that would keep her dad from going on dialysis.

She was a match and wanted to donate a kidney.

"I was the last one to get on board,'' Cheryl said. "I was not gung-ho about it until my daughter said, 'If you knew your father needed a kidney and you could give him one, you would have done it, too.' And she was right.''

"I couldn't say no at that point.''

On Saturday, slightly more than six months after the operation, Cari will be one of more than a record 27,300 entered in the Disney Half Marathon. The Disney Marathon will be Sunday.

"I had done a 5K [five kilometers, or 3.1 miles] before the surgery, but I had walked the whole way,'' said Cari, 28. "I played sports before, intramurals in college, but was not overly active.''

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing website (unos.org), 827 kidney transplants out of 14,086 nationally in 2010 were performed in Florida. Of the state's total, 200 came from a living donor, including 44 from the recipient's child.

Cari, who plans to "run-walk'' the 13.1 miles, dropped weight and improved her overall health before the surgery last July 2. After she returned to work four weeks later, an e-mail for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend hit her inbox.

An idea was born, and with the help of her friend, Jennifer Campbell, she began training.

"I just realized that even though everything went well, you never know what life was going to throw at you,'' Cari said of how the surgery changed her. "I woke up with a new outlook.''

Said Campbell: "I encouraged her to get a feel for races and set small goals, like three miles at a time, then build from there. She's a very dedicated person.''

That does not surprise Joel, a certified public accountant who is back at work and feeling well.

"We've always had a tremendous bond, but it has been emphasized even more after the transplant,'' Joel said.

Still, the idea of their daughter in a half marathon surprised the Mutnicks.

"I am excited to see her do this,'' Cheryl said. "I feel very confident she will do well.''

Said Joel: "My wife and I are flabbergasted because she had never been a physically active person.''

Her mother and Campbell plan to be at the race Saturday, but Joel is not expected to attend because of the crowd.

Before that, though, he and Cari had their six-month checkup Friday.

Cari does not know what her next challenge will be after the half marathon.

"I learned from the surgery that I am stronger than I thought I was,'' she said. "I can handle more than I thought I could.

"This is just one goal of mine. I don't think I will become a marathoner. It will open doors for other things. Who knows what I can accomplish?''

Stephen Ruiz can be reached at sruiz@orlandosentinel.com.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-01-07/sports/fl-os-disney-marathon-advance-20110107_1_kidney-donation-kidney-transplants-united-network