Published On: Tue, Jun 13th, 2017

The Search for a Kidney Donor

By: Michael Demyan

From left: Cynthia, Heather and Jennifer Flood

From left: Cynthia, Heather and Jennifer Flood

Cynthia, Heather and Jennifer Flood all know what it is like to be desperately searching for a kidney donor.

In 2008, their 60-year-old father needed one, but tests unfortunately found that none of the three sisters were a match. So they decided to turn to an online website to find one – Craigslist.

“We had thousands of people nationwide reaching out to want to test for our dad,” Jennifer Flood said.

Many of them did not work out due to age, health or blood type, but a woman from California was finally discovered as a match. In December 2011, their dad received his new kidney.

The sisters were so grateful for the amount of people who wanted to help their dad that they decided they should return the favor, so together they founded a nonprofit called The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation of America to help find donors for those in need.

“The waiting list [for transplants] is ridiculous,” Flood said. “They could wait 2-10 years for a donor and if that doesn’t happen, they’re going to pass away or remain on dialysis for the rest of their life.”

They do their best to find the donors faster and so far, they have been instrumental in finding them for nine kidney transplants, most recently for a fifth grade teacher in West Palm Beach and Jon Bon Jovi’s attorney, Jerry Edelstein. Now they are searching for their 10th.

Al Solomon and his daughter, Marcy Dorfman Salenieks.

Al Solomon and his daughter, Marcy Dorfman Salenieks.

Al Solomon, 78, of Weston is currently in need of a donor. The retired businessman, father and grandfather is searching for someone with an “O” blood type. Along with the help of The Flood Sisters, Solomon’s daughter, Marcy Dorfman Salenieks, has also created a Facebook page where she posts updates in hopes of finding a person willing to donate.

“I know he is 78, and some might think he may be too old to be worthy of receiving a kidney, but I can not agree,” she wrote. “I can think of so many amazing things he could still see: that I long for him to see. My youngest graduating high school, my boys getting married, the lions in South Africa he has wanted to marvel at his whole life, and every other miraculous moment we can share as a family.”

Solomon is currently registered at the Cleveland Clinic as well as Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He is not feeling the effects of dialysis very well, but his family and The Flood Sisters all still have hope.

“The family is very supportive,” Flood said. “They all live close by. They love what we do.”

If someone willing to complete a transplant is found, Flood will perform a preliminary screen to make sure they are healthy and have the correct blood type. After they pass the screen and are confirmed as a match, they are connected with a hospital or associates like Nephrology & Hypertension.

image2For The Flood Sisters, finding a match for someone in need is extremely rewarding and by the time the process is over, a strong bond is developed.

“They’re like part of our family,” Flood said.

 

About the Author

Discover more from The Boca Raton Tribune

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading