Family celebrates transplant anniversaries

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Family celebrates transplant anniversaries

  By: Michelle Swartz story updated January 07. 2008 11:43AM

Renelda Latondress of New Boston knows first-hand the importance of organ donation.

Not only did she donate a kidney to her brother, Julien DeBacker Jr., but her husband, Guy, recently received a kidney from an anonymous donor.

"What a wonderful gift," she said. "It brings so much hope."

For her family, two donations brought longevity and good health to her brother and husband. Mr. Latondress received a kidney from Karen Gaffney of Garden City on Nov. 1, 2006. Mr. DeBacker and his sister, Mrs. Latondress, celebrated the 25th anniversary of his kidney transplant Saturday.

"My brother never realized just how sick he was until he got a new kidney," she explained. "He's doing great today. He amazes me, he has so much energy and he's so active."

She is impressed by how much medical improvements have been accomplished since the transplant in 1983.

"My brother was told that the average life of a donated kidney was 10 years," she recalled. "Twenty-five years later, he's still doing great. He has no problems."

More than two decades later, Mrs. Latondress had to hope for another miracle when her husband was told that he needed a kidney transplant. He had been on dialysis for more than a year, and his health was failing. When family members did not match, Mr. Latondress had to wait for a matching donor outside of the family.

"You're put on a waiting list. In Michigan, the average wait is seven years," Mrs. Latondress explained.

what she believes was the "hand of the Lord," Mrs. Latondress said an anonymous donor offered her kidney that was an exact match for her husband.

"It was a miracle," she said.

Mrs. Gaffney, the donor, offered her kidney in 2006, when she celebrated her 50th birthday.

"Some people want to go to Disney World, but I wanted to do something more meaningful for my birthday," she explained. "I knew I could live on one kidney, so I wanted to share the other one."

Mrs. Gaffney came across a nurse at Ford Motor Co., where she works, and told her about her desire to donate but didn't know anyone who needed a kidney. The nurse, Audrey Zavodsky, knew about Mr. Latondress' condition since she knows the Latondress family through St. Stephen Catholic Church.

Mrs. Gaffney went through the screening process and was a perfect match for Mr. Latondress. The successful transplant was held on Nov. 1, 2006.

"He's doing great. They both recovered well from the transplant," Mrs. Latondress said. "Before, he was having all kinds of problems, but now he is doing really well."

Since Mrs. Latondress had been a donor, she was able to help Mrs. Gaffney through the process.

"I was able to tell her what to expect, what to do and what not to do," she said.

Mrs. Gaffney said the advice helped her through the process, and hopes more people will become donors.

"In the beginning, I expected to remain anonymous but now I've gained a friendship," she said. "If you're interested in becoming a donor, look into it and ask a lot of questions. Stay informed throughout the process, it makes it easier."

The Latondress family received more than a kidney when they met Mrs. Gaffney. Mr. and Mrs. Latondress and Mrs. Gaffney and her husband, Rob, are now good friends.

"We're close friends. We see each other at least once a month, and sometimes more," Mrs. Latondress said.

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