Source: North Jersey.com
Unfortunately, New Jersey resident Pasquale “Pat” Fatica (is) still in dire need of a kidney donor…
Fatica, now 58, has type “O” blood, an important factor to note in cases involving kidney donation. He is now on dialysis, a step he and his family were hoping they could avoid, as its main side effect is exhaustion.
Pat has been married for 30 years and has three sons, a 23-year-old and 21-year-old twins. However, they are not suitable donors…A few interested donors…came forward; however, they were not a match.
“The best Christmas gift we could get is a donor,” said his wife Denise.
Fatica became sick back in February and is currently under the care of a nephrologist in Maywood. He is registered at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, and Penn Transplant Institute in Philadelphia for a live kidney donation. several deceased donor lists at various area hospitals; however, the wait time can range from five to ten years.
As it has progressed, his tiredness has escalated, and now with dialysis, it’s more severe.
Fatica is well known throughout the township for volunteering his time coaching special needs kids as part of Wayne’s Challenger Little League baseball program. Giving his all on the field is what Fatica is known for, but now his illness is keeping him from doing what he loves best.
For further information on Colombia’s facility, go to http://nyp.org/service/transplantation-surgery/kidney-trnasplantation-livingdonor-html. Potential donors can contact Denise at patkidneydonation @ gmail.com or visit Pat’s kidney donation Facebook page at facebook.com/patkidneydonation1.
Some qualifications for a liver donor include that the individual be physically fit, in good general health, and free from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, as well as kidney and heart disease. The usual age bracket for live donors is 18 to 60 with gender or race playing no part. The living donor has to first undergo a blood test in order to determine blood type compatibility with the recipient. All the expenses of the kidney will be covered.
“It was so good to see people offering to help but they didn’t work out. But we are not giving up hope,” said Denise.
“We are not giving up. I cannot give up.”