HIGHTSTOWN, N.J. - When New Jersey Credit Union League's Yvette Segarra learned that her sister needed a kidney transplant and that the typical waiting list in New Jersey is five years assuming doctors can find a match, she didn't need to think twice before deciding to donate one of her own kidneys to Shelly. Shelly, 62 years old, had been going for dialysis three times a week since September because of damage to her kidney from high blood pressure. "My sister needed a transplant to live, and I was thrilled when I found out I was a match," said the 59-year old Segarra who is manager of special events/meeting planner for the NJCUL. "It was a bit of a shock to her and my daughter Tracy was very concerned about the whole procedure. She came with me to all the appointments and asked every question you could think of and then some. She wanted me to be sure and she wanted me to be safe. What we found out was that it was going to be a difficult operation and recovery, but I really wanted to do this for my sister. I felt it was something I had to do. I couldn't stand to see my sister suffering knowing there was something I could do to help her." The more than three-hour surgery was performed Jan. 3 at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in New Brunswick, N.J. She said her doctor told her it would be six-to-eight weeks before she could return to her job at NJCUL. Segarra readily admits that the inspiration for her decision was her son Jason who was killed in 1999 in an auto accident when he was 23 years old. Jason, she explained, wanted to be an organ donor, "and when my husband and I saw it on his license, we didn't know what it was about. We'd heard about organ donors, but to be honest when you're not in need of one you don't pay the idea much attention. I'm ashamed to say that before Jason died I wouldn't have put it on my license. But Jason always said, "Where I go when I'll die I won't need my organs." Segarra wound up donating her son's bone marrow, heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas. Additionally, his eyes went to an eye bank. Three people got his organs, and Segarra continues to correspond with them. She also got to meet two of them, including the one who received her son's heart. "I can put my hand on his chest and feel my son's heartbeat," she reflects. Segarra understands why some people are hesitant to be organ donors - some have religious reasons, others hear about organs being sold for profit. "We need to educate people about organ donating," she says. "The New Jersey Credit Union League has been so supportive. I go to chapter meetings and talk with credit union people across the state about how important it is. I also talk with Transplant International and they come to some meetings as well to speak with attendees." She adds that, "We all have gifts to give. There's no reason in this world to have perfectly good organs be buried when there are people who can use them. Nobody should be put in the position of having to decide, but when faced with a situation it's a no brainer." Segarra explains one irony of organ donor designation that people need to be aware of is this - although an organ donor card is a legal document, immediate family members can still deny the donation when the person dies if they choose to. That's why, she stresses, "it's so important to make your wishes clear to family members and instruct them to abide by your wishes. In my son's case, my daughter and I honored his wishes because he verbalized them. I heard it out of his mouth, but I never thought I'd have to honor his decision." As Segarra continues her recuperation she says, "I'm uncomfortable now recuperating from the surgery, but I'll be fine. You can live with one kidney. It's truly the gift of life to see my sister doing so well no." As for Shelly, Segarra said her levels are perfect. -
ebarr@cutimes.com
