Benefit scores for kidney patient

[okarol]

Benefit scores for kidney patient

By Cara Fitzpatrick

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Monday, April 16, 2007

PORT ST. LUCIE — Every night, Tony Cecala connects a tube in his stomach to a kidney dialysis machine and then tries to sleep as toxins are pumped out of his body. Most of the time, sleep never comes.

"I lay in bed and stare at the ceiling," he said.

Cecala, 50, a detective with the Port St. Lucie Police Department, has had kidney disease for about 14 years, but his condition worsened rapidly in late December. Since then, he has relied on the dialysis to do the work his kidneys are unable to do, a treatment that can be as exhausting as it is painful, he said.

Despite the rigorous treatments, which take eight to nine hours a night and another hour at lunchtime, Cecala has continued to work full-time. But he may be forced to take a few months off, possibly as soon as this summer, when his wife, Kristine, 38, is expected to donate one of her kidneys to him.

The surgery, while considerably more risky for him, will keep both of them out of work for a while. To help the family, which includes two daughters, Jordan, 11, and Audrey, 9, the owners of the St. Lucie Draft House sponsored a charity softball tournament Sunday.

About 70 people, including customers and employees of the Draft House as well as police officers, came out to play between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, braving gusty winds, blowing dirt and a few raindrops. Each person paid $30 to play, guests to an after-party paid $20 and children cost $10. All food, T-shirts and drinks were donated by sponsors so that all of the money raised would go directly to the Cecalas, said Tami McHale, a managing partner at the St. Lucie Draft House.

The restaurant organizes several charitable events each year, including the softball tournament, she said. Each year, it tries to pick a local person or organization to help, she said.

Organizers knew what was happening with the Cecalas because Kristine works at the Draft House and Tony had been a customer for years, she said.

"We decided to help Tony and Kristine so that it wouldn't be a financial burden when they take time off for the surgery," she said.

On Sunday, people came over to where the Cecalas were sitting to trade jokes, talk and watch the softball games. A few police officers took breaks from batting and fielding balls to say hello to the family. Tony said the consideration and kindness of his fellow officers hasn't wavered throughout the months of treatment.

"They've supported me 100 percent," he said.

Detective Sgt. Rick Schichtel said he saw a flier for the tournament and decided to come out to play. He's known Tony for more than a decade and said he "hasn't missed a beat" since starting dialysis.

"We just want it to work out for him," he said.

Although the surgery comes with its risks, especially if Tony's body rejects its new kidney, the Cecala family hope it will be a success, allowing Tony to end his difficult dialysis regimen.

"I'll be on medication for the rest of my life," he said. "But they say I should be able to lead a normal life."
 
 
 
Find this article at:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2007/04/16/m1b_SLDONOR_0416.html