Baltimore, MD – Sept. 20, 2017 – Baltimore community members Rabbi Dr. Moshe
Lasson and Rabbi Yossie Ryback are in need of a kidney and they are reaching out to
our community for help.

On Tuesday evening, September 26 at 8:00 P.M. Bikur Cholim and Renewal will
host a Kidney Donation Awareness Event at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion. This event
is free and open to the entire community.

Many of us know someone who has successfully received a kidney transplant and may
have wondered what is involved in becoming a donor. During Tuesday’s event this topic
will be discussed. Representatives of Renewal will familiarize the community about
kidney disease and all that is involved in being tested as a potential donor. Renewal is a
nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting people suffering from various forms of
kidney disease. They are a multi-faceted proactive team that is dedicated to saving lives
through kidney donation.

Renewal explains as follows: “There are people from all walks of life, and of all ages.
Men, women and children ranging in age from a five year old child to a 73 year old adult.
They are from all parts of the world, including the USA, Canada, Israel as well as England
and Brazil. They all wait for that call that a match has been found. These people are
willing to travel to be in an area closer to the location of the donor, if necessary. Renewal
has been successful in helping many of these patients, but the need is still great. Each
year, 8 percent of the patients on the national list die waiting for a kidney.”

Renewal offers assistance along the various aspects of the kidney donation process. A
representative accompanies the donor and recipient throughout the entire transplant,
from the first day of testing through the morning of transplant when the donor is driven
to the hospital. Renewal makes sure the process is smooth and works to ensure the
comfort of the donor and patient. After a donor is released from the hospital, Renewal
sends the donor to convalesce, which makes the recuperation period much more
tolerable. Transportation to and from testing as well as airfare for out of state donors is
covered by Renewal.

On Tuesday evening, Rabbi Moshe Hauer and Rabbi Yissocher Dov Eichenstein will
offer brief remarks. Altruistic members of our community who have donated a kidney
and recipients who have benefitted from their gift of life will be introduced. A donor will
share his experience with the audience. Representatives from the University of
Maryland transplant team will be available to answer questions or concerns. Those who are interested
in being tested will be able to do so at the conclusion of the evening. Community members will also
have the option of taking the testing package home to have some time to think it over. The testing is a
simple swab of the cheek; no blood is drawn.

Bikur Cholim urges all to please attend this life-saving informational event that is
fortuitously taking place during the Yomim Norayim.

Bikur Cholim wishes everyone a G’mar Chasima Tova; a year filled with good health and happiness.