Organ donation saves lives

Organ donation saves lives

By ASHLEY RICHARDS, LAREDO MORNING TIMES
04/28/2007

For 15 months Crystal Casillas underwent dialysis, had frequent lapses in health and missed three opportunities for a kidney transplant because she was hospitalized and in an unfit condition to take on the procedure.Nearly a year after being placed on the list for a kidney transplant, the 19-year-old LCC student was healthy enough to receive the organ when a fourth kidney became available for her in July 2006.

“My mom woke me up and I didn’t believe her,” Casillas said. “She was crying. We were all crying.”

Casillas, her family and other donor families gathered Friday morning with the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance for the Fifth Annual Garden of Hope Ceremony at Doctors Hospital in celebration of National Donate Life Month.

Almost a year since her transplant, Casillas said she is taking advantage of a second chance at life despite the struggle that looms ahead.

“I still have a few sick days,” she said. “It’s hard because I know how healthy I am now.”

“Up until recently I hadn’t realized how much me being sick had affected my life,” Casillas added while addressing a gathering of donor families.

The Casillas family has experienced the organ-donation process multiple times on both the giving and receiving ends. Crystal’s grandfather, Cesar Casillas, said three of his children, including Crystal’s father, had Focal Sclerosing Glomerulonephritis, a illness, thought to be genetic, that hardens the kidney and stops it from cleaning blood and capturing proteins.

“It’s a devastating problem because there’s no cure yet,” Cesar Casillas said, adding that he and his family hope that stem-cell research will help in the future.

Cesar Casillas has been a living donor since 1976 when he gave his kidney to his oldest son, who had contracted the genetic disease. For 19 years his son subsequently lived with the kidney and raised a family until he developed cancer, likely from the medications, Cesar said, and died in 1995.

Crystal’s father, Robert, also suffered from the disease, undergoing two kidney transplants before contracting cancer that ended his life in November 2006, but not before becoming a donor himself. Robert donated his cornea and tried to donate more, but was told the cancer disabled him from giving other organs.

“He liked extreme sports,” Cesar said, reminiscing about a son he considers a hero. “He has been my inspiration. He was a fighter.”

Surrounding the Garden of Hope, the donor families remembered loved ones who died, donating their organs to others.

“I feel I can never thank them enough,” Crystal Casillas said about the family of the young man from whom she received a kidney. Her donor died in a car accident and Crystal said she has tried to contact the family to express her thanks.

“I just hope one day when I pass away, I too will be able to help someone,” she said.

Rosa Maria Ramirez also spoke at the event, remembering her brother who was both an organ recipient and donor. He received a kidney at age 52 and then, after falling ill, donated his liver to a 21-year-old single mother when he died.

In Laredo there are approximately 100 patients waiting for an organ transplant. Leo Garza, critical care director at Doctors Hospital, said communication among family members is key when considering organ donating. When all options have been exhausted in critical care, Garza said, it is ultimately the family’s decision as to whether the patient will be a donor.

Because families are approached for a decision within an hour after being informed of their loved one’s death, talking to family members and being clear with everyone on the decision to become an organ donor is important, said Yoli Montemayor, Texas Organ Sharing Alliance regional manager.

Mela Perez, Texas Organ Sharing Alliance communications manager, said eliminating negative perceptions sometimes attached to organ donation can result from better education and awareness on the issue.

“It is a life-long journey that we have to commit to,” Perez said.

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(Ashley Richards may be reached at 728-2538 or by e-mail at ashley@lmtonline.com)

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