A Second Chance at Life

by Sandy Schill of Northwest Ski Club Council

It was March 2003, and I felt it coming!  Kidney failure was inevitable.  I was feeling terrible, looking miserable and acting intolerable.  By mid April, I could no longer swim or get any exercise. I worked, came home and slept. By June 1st, I was just a couple of lab values away from qualifying for a transplant. At this point it was just a waiting game. At the FWSA Convention, listening to Olympian Chris Klug speak of his liver transplant was inspiring and I tried to see myself in his position (knowing I would feel great someday), but the feeling of doom and eternal suffering was all I could think about.  In my heart and mind, I wanted to have fun, but physically I wasn't capable.

My sister Pam was being evaluated to donate one of her kidneys to me.  Lucky me, she was a match!  The surgery date was set.  Just getting a date made me feel better.  I had full faith the surgery would be successful. My sister and I checked into the hospital together at 5:00am on Tuesday, September 16th, and we were in adjoining surgery suites by 7:45 am. The kidney worked immediately upon placement and we were together in a room by 5:30 pm with our pain-med pumps in hand.

Our recovery went well and being with my sister who had just unselfishly given me one of her organs was the best encouragement I could have.  My husband Ron Onslow was a Prince Charming. He doted on both of us daily and spent every minute possible with us.  And the support from friends, family and my long distance friends from the FWSA helped immensely with our recuperation.

Our recovery has been like a textbook.  I started swimming and golfing six weeks post-op and got back to skiing in January.  Although the new kidney is expected to last only 11-15 years, I will be better prepared in the event I need to go through this again in the future.  

There are really no words to thank someone, who so selflessly donates an organ to another human being.

Ben and Angela

A Selfless Gift

by Elaine Cobos of Arizona Ski Council

Chris Klug isn’t the only snowboarder with a new liver these days. While Angela Davis Brewer, of Arizona Ski Council, probably won’t be winning any Olympic medals, she is a true fighter and winner. Her story is one that will warm your heart.  Ben Velasquez, and his wife, Elaine Cobos, Arizona Ski Council President met Angela and Michael Brewer through friends at work and found out they all had a love and passion for skiing.  Sadly, in early 2003, Angela delivered a stillborn baby just two weeks before her due date. Doctors investigated and noticed nodules on her liver.  "I was fighting hepatitis C my entire life and never knew it," Angela said.  She had contracted the disease from a blood transfusion shortly after birth.  Most hepatitis C patients don’t know they have the disease until many years later.

Angela’s health declined rapidly, and by June she had jaundice.  She was put on a liver transplant list, but that could have meant years of waiting while her health continued to decline.  The couple put out the word to their community at large.  In a selfless act of compassion and concern, Ben offered to be a living transplant donor.  Amazingly, the liver, much like skin, will regenerate and fully function after the donor recovers.  Living organ donation is near to Ben's heart.  Several years before, he had wanted to donate his kidney to his first wife, who was diabetic.  Unfortunately, their organs were not compatible.  She eventually died from diabetes-related complications.

Fortunately, Ben turned was a good match for Angela. He met all the criteria: Younger than 55, in good health, and he felt a bond with Angela.  Ben donated 60 percent of his liver for transplant on Sept. 29, 2003.  Both donor and recipient recuperated just fine and were back on the slopes the next ski season.   Angela will require treatment for hepatitis C, which is incurable, for the rest of her life.   Angela and her husband are moving on and looking forward to trying to conceive another baby. As they leave the pain of the past year behind them, they take with them the love of a man who offered a precious and priceless gift of life. “Ben is a hero in the true sense; he's a person who put himself in harm’s way for another human being and in keeping with his humble nature, didn't want any special recognition," Michael says.

Ben asks only one favor of Angela — that she live a long and healthy life.

To register with the Arizona donor registry, visit www.dnaz.org

In California, It takes four easy steps to become a donor.

1. Request a donor card. Visit your local DMV office to receive one.
2. Sign and carry your donor card in your purse or wallet so it can be found.
3. Put a pink Life dot on your California driver's license.
4. Tell your family you’d like to be an organ & tissue donor when you die.

Signing a donor card signifies your commitment to renewing the life and health of others in need. Telling your family is the way to become a donor. It is much easier for families to make a decision to donate before they face a crisis. In the event of your death, your family will be asked what your wishes are.  If organ or tissue donation is a possibility they must give the final consent to donate.  

For more information in California, visit http://www.lifesharing.org/index.html

Outside of California and Arizona, those interested in registering for a donor program can visit http://www.organdonor.org/