Hackensack resident draws attention to need for kidney donations

BY MARK J. BONAMO | MANAGING EDITOR  | HACKENSACK CHRONICLE

Larry Eisen isn't exactly an attention seeker. Sitting in a restaurant across from Hackensack University Medical Center, he was reluctant to discuss the reason why he has received treatment at the hospital for 14 years – kidney disease.

"It's nothing that I'm ashamed of, but I didn't want people bothering me with too much sympathy, so I didn't go public with it," Eisen, 66, said. "But because of this opportunity to raise money for a good cause, I decided to speak out."

Eisen and his wife of 42 years Marsha recently took part in a march to draw attention to those who share his personal plight. As part of the Kidneys 4 Life – Team HUMC, a group backed by HackensackUniversity Medical Center, the couple joined more than 800 people who walked on May 1 at Bergen Community College in Paramus to help raise funds for the National Kidney Foundation. The walk also was meant to call attention to the prevention of kidney disease, as well as to the critical need for organ donation.


The team that Eisen and his wife marched with raised $10,000 of the $100,000 total raised by the walk, with $4,200 raised by Marsha alone. The group, made up of those who have kidney disease, their friends and relatives, banded together to highlight a daunting number. More than 88,000 people are on the national kidney transplant list, but only about 8,000 will get a donation in any given year.

Despite kidney donation math that may not be in his favor, Eisen has made a calculated decision to go forward, no matter what.

"I will eventually get one," Eisen said. "And if I don't get one in time, I'll have to go on dialysis. But I will persevere, and eventually get what I need. I'm not going to let it upset my life."

Eisen has been a civic presence in Hackensack for many years. He served as president of Jewish Family Service of Bergen and North Hudson, and served on the boards of United Jewish Appeal of Northern New Jersey and Temple Beth El of Hackensack. He also volunteers for Bergen Reads in the Hackensack public schools and Project Literacy. Despite the serious, personal challenges he is facing, Eisen feels the need to serve the community one more time by reminding others of the necessity, dignity and grace of serious, personal sacrifice.

"Parts of people's bodies, if they are killed in an accident, can be used to enhance the lives of eight or 10 other people," Eisen said. "There are people who need kidneys, hearts and eyes. You can give one of your kidneys, and you can still survive. You can designate that you want to be an organ donor on your driver's license. It's a shame that families are so reluctant to commit their loved ones' bodies so that they can be beneficial for other people. As much as you love your family, there is somebody else out there whose family loves them just as much. People need to step forward."