Pacheco, of Highland Lakes, and Frodella, of Andover, met at Dominick's Pizza in Newton during a dinner organized by a mutual acquaintance, Jan Pfeifer, of Green.
Pfeifer was originally slated to be Pacheco's kidney donor, but medical complications eliminated that possibility a week before the procedure was to take place. Instead, Pfeifer and Pacheco signed up for an interestate kidney exchange, through which Pfeifer donated her kidney to a woman in Atlanta, Ga., and Pacheco received a kidney from a man in Philadelphia.
Frodella's donor, Sheri Lasslett, of Stillwater, was also in attendance at Sunday's dinner, as were a handful of family members and friends of the four individuals. Pfeifer coordinated the dinner to give the donors and recipients a chance to meet and share their experiences.
Frodella and Pacheco were just two of 537 New Jerseyans who received organ donations in 2011, according to statistics from the New Jersey Sharing Network, a nonprofit organization that helps facilitate organ and tissue transplants for state residents. According to the network, another 5,000 people across the state are currently awaiting organ or tissue donations.
0 COMMENTS:
Post a Comment