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A father's gift to his baby: Life
Liver donation opens his eyes to Picarello Foundation's work
By Christine MacDonald, Globe Correspondent | April 24, 2005
Michael Saben Sr. says he was never planning to become an organ donor. But when his infant daughter, Sarah, lay dying in a Boston hospital last spring, he put aside his fears and gave up part of his liver to save her life. Today Sarah is a thriving 17-month-old on the verge of taking her first steps, a childhood milestone her family feared they would never see. The elder Saben has also recovered from surgery that removed about a quarter of his liver, which was transplanted into little Sarah's body the same day last May, in back-to-back operations that lasted about 14 hours.
''I can't think of any situation in which I would have done it," said Saben of donating an organ. ''But I'm a believer now. You see the results, and how can you not believe?" he said, holding Sarah after a checkup at Mass. General. The experience has transformed him so fully, in fact, that the father of three plans to put aside another fear -- this time, of public speaking -- when he shares his family's story at the Anthony Picarello Foundation's annual fund-raiser at Suffolk Downs Thursday night. ''My knees started knocking about two weeks ago," said Saben, whose family received a ''Piece of Mind Fund" grant from the Picarello Foundation last year. The fund provides cash grants to families with loved-ones awaiting organ transplants. The money often goes to pay rent or mortgage payments, gas, and other bills that tend to pile up when a family member becomes seriously ill.
Ruth and Anthony ''Skip" Picarello Sr. began raising money for the cause after their son Anthony received an emergency liver transplant that saved his life in February 2000. They have raised more than $100,000 for the American Liver Foundation and the New England Organ Bank. More than 5,000 liver transplants are performed each year in the United States, according to the United Network of Organ Sharing. But many more critically ill people die because of a shortage of donors. According to the Picarello Foundation, 17 people die every day while awaiting a new liver, while every 13 minutes a new name is added to the national waiting list. Two years ago, the Picarellos added the Piece of Mind Fund to provide more direct help to families struggling to stay afloat financially while their loved ones await transplants.
''We wanted to do more than just an annual fund-raiser," Skip Picarello explained. ''We want people to know that we care even if we don't know them. It's a love circle as well."
Saben said the grant helped pay bills, buy gasoline for the 230-mile round-trip journeys between their Claremont, N.H., home and Massachusetts General Hospital, and much more. Saben said his family has been overwhelmed with the support they have received from all sorts of people, even their auto dealership, which serviced the two family minivans for free last year after learning of their ordeal. Sarah will have to eat healthy foods, abstain from alcohol, and take medication for the rest of her life to make sure her body doesn't reject the liver, but should otherwise lead a relatively normal life, said her doctor, Martin Hertl. Hertl, who led the transplant team last year, said she was born with biliary atresia, a disease that was destroying her liver and would have killed her if her father hadn't stepped forward when no other match was available.
''She was so sick. He saved her life," said Hertl.
For more information about the Picarello Foundation, call 617-569-4621. |
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AN ORGAN DONOR’S WISH COMES TRUE.
WHO WAS CAROLYN KILLEEN? A SISTER, DAUGHTER, FRIEND and an ORGAN DONOR!
God sure did a heck of a job when he found a way to cram so much heart, soul, and energy into a package the size of Carolyn. Carolyn exuded energy and love of life.. Slow down. Pace yourself. You’re enjoying life too much.Well it turns out she was right and we were wrong. Life is too short to save anything. Let it all hang out. Carolyn did just that . She maxed out her time here on earth.
Carolyn loved being around people. She had lots of friends, and she treated them all special. A greeting from Carolyn was like walking into a tornado. With Carolyn it was never a nod, or a wave, or a simple "HI", No, her greeting began with a scream, then the big smile, a big kiss, followed by a GIANT hug. Everyone was a friend unless of course you ever referred to her as "CAROLINE"!
Carolyn was special, always giving never asking anything in return. Even now, as an organ donor, she continues to give. In fact, today her hearts beats in the body of an eleven year old girl. (This short story was read at her funeral by her friend Brian)
We were introduced to Carolyn’s family because she was on organ donor!
Carolyn was involved in a car accident in June of 2002 on her way home from work. When her family knew there wasn’t anything medically that could be done they respected her wishes to be an organ donor. Fifty four percent of families agree to donate their loved ones organs. An increase from a consent rate of 48% in 1990 study and 42% actually became donors.
With 80,000 people waiting for an organ we need you to talk to your families now! The Killeen Family always new that Carolyn was registered and she spoke about it on many occasions.
When Skip and I first spoke to the family we were over whelmed with their dedication to remember what a person she was. In 2002 they had a fundraising event with her many family and friends. After researching nonprofits they call and asked for more information on our “Peace of Mind Fund”.
We met them in August and we were presented a check in the amount of $4000.00 to be given to families waiting for an organ transplant. The application process is occurring now. (September 1 2003 to December 1 2003.) |
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