Tallahassee resident donating kidney to woman she met onlineBy TaMaryn Waters • DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER • November 18, 2008
Two strangers will never forget each other after this week.
Roughly 1,130 miles stands between Cathy Schroeder, a Tallahassee resident, and Beth Abramowitz, who lives in Scarsdale, N.Y. But Schroeder is traveling to New York today so she can give a mother a fighting chance at watching her children grew up.
Schroeder, 37, had no idea about Abramowitz's battle with kidney disease until she read a plea for donors posted in August by Scott Harris, a former college classmate she once dated. She didn't know that Abramowitz, who has a 5-year-old son and a 4-month-old daughter, had only one kidney functioning at 10 percent.
She didn't know about the 12 people who'd been denied already. Four of them passed the blood-type requirement but were rejected in the rigorous health-screening exams.
All Schroeder knew was that she had an O positive blood type and that she wanted to help.
And through a series of e-mails and one face-to-face visit by Schroeder to New York to ensure the transplant could be done, Abramowitz can now get what she so desperately needs.
"In my lifetime, I had never considered being able to give life without giving birth," said Schroeder, director of communications for the Florida Department of Management Services.
She sat on her front porch Monday afternoon, waiting for her husband, Drew, to arrive. And she reflected on how she, Abramowitz and Harris all had separate lives and families. But she never doubted her role in this divine connection.
"I believe God can use us to do remarkable things every moment of our lives," she said.
Schroeder examined Abramowitz's Web site,
www.kidney4beth.com, and that's what triggered her search to learn more about donating. Although they both were bonded by Harris's post on Facebook, Schroeder couldn't help but be moved when she noticed their daughters share the same name.
"I think it's so telling about the folks or people who understand the power of social networks and the Internet for the better good," Schroeder said. "Because I don't live in her community, I would never know about her need. And the Internet has made her a part of my community."
In Florida, the wait for a donor can be two years to five years, said Richard Salick, the director of community relations in Florida for the National Kidney Foundation.
And the Internet is playing a major role for those in need of a transplant.
"That's a phenomenon that's happening more and more," Salick said. "It's something that we're trying to encourage."
Abramowitz said doctors still don't know what caused her kidney disease. She was diagnosed three years ago after she tried to obtain life insurance and was turned down.
The past year has been the hardest, Abramowitz said. Although she feels lucky since she doesn't need dialysis, on most mornings, she wakes up and feels like she needs to go right back to sleep.
Abramowitz said she had a good feeling about Schroeder's altruism. It gave her hope.
"She's not writing a get-well card," Abramowitz said. "She's giving me a part of herself."
Schroeder's husband, Drew, admits he's been torn about his wife's gift. But he's going to support her, no matter what.
"It's kind of like the war. You may feel one way or another about the war, but you always support the troops," he said. "She's not the only troop here. There's Beth, her husband and her children."
Abramowitz said Cathy's gift has renewed her belief in the human spirit.
"There's not a day that's going to go by where Cathy Schroeder won't be a hero in my family," said Abramowitz, whose baby girl cooed softly in the background. "When I look at my children's faces, I will think of Cathy."
# Contact Reporter TaMaryn Waters at (850) 599-2162 or tlwaters@tallahassee.com.
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20081118/NEWS01/811180345/1010
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