BY KAREN GERHARDINGER

MIRROR REPORTER

The 100,000 Americans onthe waiting list for a kidneyhave an impossible questionto ask of family, friends,neighbors and strangers.

“They’re asking someoneto donate a piece of theirbody,” said author Ari Sytner.An easier question, he real-ized, is asking someone toread a book.

In The Kidney Donor’sJourney: 100 Questions I AskedBefore Donating My Kidney,Sytner provides a roadmap onevery possible aspect of kid-ney donation – from the per-spective of a man who hadnever even given blood.

“When I read his book, Ithought, ‘He wrote this forme to help increase awarenessof kidney donation!’” saidWhitehouse resident GlennaFrey, who led the charge tobring Sytner to Maumee toshare his story.

On Wednesday, October25, Sytner will speak at theMaumee Indoor Theater, 601Conant St., from 7:00 to 8:30p.m.

Sytner never set out towrite a book about his experi-ences. After all, he’s prettybusy as a rabbi, director ofleadership and communitydevelopment at YeshivaUniversity in New York City,traveling to communitiesworldwide, contributing arti-cles to the Huffington Post andraising a family.

Donating a kidney didn’tcross his mind until he wasleading a congregation inthe South, hosting an educa-tional series on medicalethics. As he urged others todonate a kidney, Sytner real-ized that he shouldn’t waitto bless someone’s life with

a new kidney, he said.Most people feel that same

generosity, Synter believes,but lack awareness on how tobecome a kidney donor. Hewrote the book to share all ofthe questions he asked andprovide answers from anunbiased, non-medical per-spective. He is not a doctor,although he is earning hisPh.D. in social work.

Glenna first began think-ing about organ donation 15years ago, when her husbandDr. Robert Frey was diag-nosed with polycystic kidneydisease (PKD), a hereditarydisease in which cysts grow inthe kidney and halt its func-tion.

The kidney filters theblood, flushing out toxins inurine. Left in the blood-stream, those toxins can bedeadly. Dialysis, which canrequire four hours at a timeseveral days a week, doesabout 15 percent of the jobthat a kidney can do. Dialysisis no replacement for a kid-ney, but a temporary solu-tion. Twelve Americans a daydie waiting to get a transplant.

Thank-fully, Glenna’sniece – not Robert’s bloodrelative – was a match, whichis based on blood type.

Since the transplant,Robert has been able to con-tinue living a normal life,

working as a dentist inSwanton. The niece has sincemarried and had three chil-dren.

While Glenna wasn’t amatch, that began her journeyinto planning a donation.

“Why have two kidneyswhen one can do the job andanother can save a life?”Glenna points out.

Glenna is a registerednurse with a master’s degreein nursing who now worksfor ProMedica CancerInstitute as a Healing CarePractitioner. For many yearsshe was a nephrology nurse,working with patients receiv-ing dialysis.

While she knew she want-ed to donate, it never seemedto be the right time.

“Then my husband said,‘If you’re going to do this,why wait?’” she said.

Last year, a 53-year-oldmarried man on dialysis inCincinnati received Glenna’skidney. While she doesn’tknow his name, Glenna doesknow that he’s healthyenough to finally return towork.

Sytner met the recipient ofhis kidney, a woman namedRonit (pronounced Row-neat) who, because of thetransplant, was able to see herkids grow up, graduate and getmarried. She went back to lawschool and earned a degree. Inshort, his donation of a kid-ney affected her whole family.

“If I had another kidneyto give I would gladly do so,”he said.

Each year, 5,500 livingdonors successfully give anorgan to someone. Accordingto the National KidneyRegistry, 15,000 Americansare now leading full andactive lives with transplantedkidneys.

As Glenna did research onkidney donation, she learnedabout the many options fornot only giving, but havingan opportunity to put a lovedone on the list in case a futuretransplant was needed.

The average wait for a kid-ney is three to nine years.Currently, 10,000 Americansare on the waiting list. If lessthan 1 percent of the popula-tion donated a kidney, thatlist would be empty, Syntersaid.

The October 25 event willprovide an opportunity foranyone considering a dona-tion and health careproviders, to learn more.

The event is free, thanks toThe University of ToledoMedical Center RenalTransplant Program, Alliancefor Paired Donation,American Nephrology NursesAssociation, KidneyFoundation of NorthwestOhio, Congregation EtzChayim, Dr. Robert Frey andGlenna Frey.

Ari Sytner

Kidney Donation Is A Blessing That Changes Lives

The Mirror’s VALUABLE TIPS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

Guide To Good Health

The Kidney Donor’s Journey is in a simple question-and-answer format that covers all of the thoughts andquestions Sytner experienced. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARI SYTNER

Hospice Offers Caring With Confidence ProgramMore and more people are caring for their sick, frail or

debilitated loved ones at home. Because many feel ill-preparedto meet the challenges of providing hands-on care, Hospice ofNorthwest Ohio is offering a free, two-hour workshop toteach family caregivers the basics. This much-needed programis being offered twice a month at the Toledo Hospice Center,800 S. Detroit Ave., Toledo, and is open to anyone in thecommunity.

Classes are scheduled on Tuesdays, October 17, November28 and December 12 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and on Saturdays,October 21, November 4 and December 2 from 10:00 a.m. tonoon.

Workshops are open to anyone in the community. Toallow active participation, class size is limited to six and pre-registration is required. Those interested should call SandyGarrison at (419) 661-4001 to ask questions or to register.

Hospice Offers Caring For The Caregiver Sessions“Caring for the Caregiver,” a free two-session workshop

designed to help those who are caring for the needs of a friendor family member find personal meaning in the experience, isbeing held on the following dates:

Thursdays, October 19 and 26 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. andThursdays, December 7 and 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. atHospice of Northwest Ohio Perrysburg Center, 30000 E.River Rd., Perrysburg. Register by Friday, October 13 for theOctober session and Friday, December 1 for the Decembersession.

Tuesdays, November 14 and 21 from 10:00 a.m. to noonat Hospice of Northwest Ohio Toledo Center, 800 S. DetroitAve., Toledo. Register by Thursday, November 9.

Held in partnership with the Area Office on Aging, thegeneral public is welcome to register for the workshop by con-tacting Julie Tucholski at (419) 931-5534.

Free Memory Screening Announced In SwantonSwanton Health Care and Retirement Center, 214 S.

Munson Rd., Swanton, will host a free memory screening on

Wednesday, October 18 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. by appoint-ment only. To make a reservation, call Chris at (419) 825-1145.

For more information, visit www.nationalmemoryscreening.org.

Living Kidney Donor Speaks At Maumee Indoor Ari Sytner, author of The Kidney Donor’s Journey: 100

Questions I Asked Before Donating My Kidney, will speak at theMaumee Indoor Theater on Wednesday, October 25 at 7:00p.m. Attendees will also hear comments from a transplant sur-geon as well as a local living donor and recipient. Questionswill be entertained by all presenting members at the conclu-sion of the program.

The event is free and open to the public to help raiseawareness for living kidney donation. Refreshments and abook signing will follow.

Monthly Caregiver Classes To Be Held In SwantonCaregiver classes will be held on Wednesday, October 25 at

5:30 p.m. at Swanton Health Care and Retirement Center, 214S. Munson Rd., Swanton. To make a reservation, contactChris Cremean at (419) 825-1145 or ccremean@swantonhealth-care.com.

Tai Chi Beginner Classes Planned In MaumeeThe Taoist Tai Chi Society will offer beginner Tai Chi

classes in Maumee in November. The Taoist Tai Chi Societyis a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to improvinghealth and well-being. Classes consist of slow movements thatuse gentle turns and stretches to improve balance, flexibility,circulation and strength.

In Maumee, beginner Tai Chi classes of the Taoist Tai ChiSociety will start at The Ballroom Company, 2319 S. DetroitAve., Maumee, on Thursday, November 2 from 9:30 to 10:30a.m.

Other locations for beginner classes starting in Octoberand November are in Bowling Green, Sylvania, Toledo andWalbridge.

For more information, call (419) 537-0131 or visitwww.taoist.org.

Hospice Bereavement Group Offered In Toledo Hospice of Northwest Ohio is holding an ongoing

bereavement group for those who are grieving the loss of a

October 12, 2017THE MIRRORPage 6-F

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Page 7-FTHE MIRROROctober 12, 2017

Local Author Of PTSD Recovery Memoir To Appear At Bookstore On October 14

Local author Julia Torresis a trauma survivor andaward-winning journalistwho will host a book signingand community conversa-tion about her PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)diagnosis on Saturday,October 14 from 2:00 to 5:00p.m. at the GatheringVolumes bookstore, 196 E.South Boundary St.,Perrysburg.

As a victim of abusiveparents, childhood rape,

forced adoption, painfulassimilation and discrimina-tion, she is now an outspo-ken advocate for her fellowtrauma survivors. In hermemoir, she highlights sur-viving a violent childhood, aseverely dysfunctional familyand traumatic exposure tolife-altering events. She over-comes these challenges bybecoming the first collegegraduate in her family, suc-cessfully launching an award-winning career and raising

her children in a healthierenvironment.

Just when she thoughtshe’d buried the wounds ofher past, she finds herselftrapped and alone in NewYork City on 9/11. As sheplans her own evacuation,Torres has no idea that herlife’s cumulative trauma isabout to catch up with her.Her onset of PTSD symp-toms terrifies her and shemust work hard to stabilizeher own mental health. Thisis the story of how she tri-umphs over tragedy.

Torres has scheduled thisevent during HispanicHeritage Month because sheis a proud Puerto Rican (cur-rently grieving over the dev-astation that HurricaneMaria has inflicted on theisland of her ancestors).

She also wants to bringattention to World MentalHealth Day held annually inOctober. Mental health pro-

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Families of children withtype 1 diabetes face a lot ofchallenges.

“It’s labor-intensive. For alot of parents, it’s a constantbattle,” said Beth Ruf, execu-tive director of DiabetesYouth Services (DYS).

The organization will hosta special Halloween carnivalfor families of children withtype 1 diabetes on Saturday,October 14 from noon to2:00 p.m.

“The event is designed toprovide contact and supportfor those dealing with this,”Ruf said.

The event will take placeat St. Paul’s EpiscopalChurch in Maumee andincludes fun activities, carni-val games, crafts and treatsfor the entire family.

DYS is a nonprofit organ-ization that serves families ofchildren with type 1 diabetes,a chronic autoimmune disor-der that affects the ability ofthe pancreas to properly pro-duce insulin.

The University of ToledoPediatrics Club, a student-run organization withapproximately 130 membersat the university’s College ofMedicine and Life Sciences,will coordinate the event.

Each year DYS partnerswith groups like this to pro-vide events for these families,Ruf said.

“Often, children with type1 do not know or encounterother kids with diabetes. Theyrely on our programs andevents to meet other kids justlike them and it makes themfeel less isolated,” she said.

The Halloween Carnivalwill take place on Saturday,October 14 from noon to2:00 p.m. at St Paul’sEpiscopal Church, located at310 Elizabeth St. in Maumee.

The event is open to anyfamily with a child managingtype 1 diabetes.

Please bring a dish to share.For information, please

contact Diabetes YouthServices at (419) 291-1234.

Organization Hosts Halloween Carnival For Kids With Diabetes

Diabetes Youth Services will host a special Halloweencarnival this Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church inMaumee. Pictured are children who attended last year’sevent. PHOTO COURTESY OF DIABETES YOUTH SERVICES

Page 8-F THE MIRROR October 12, 2017

loved one from sudden or unexpected death. The group isbeing held the second and fourth Tuesday of each monthfrom 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Toledo Hospice Center, 800 S.Detroit Ave. The group is open to any adult in the communi-ty.

Facilitated by an expert grief counselor, the group will pro-vide participants with information on coping with unexpect-ed loss including healthy coping skills, understanding loss andsetting realistic expectations of one’s self.

While no prior relationship with Hospice of NorthwestOhio is needed, preregistration is required. For more informa-tion or to register, call (419) 661-4001.

To learn more about grief and loss or Hospice ofNorthwest Ohio, visit our website at www.hospicenwo.org.

12-Step Program Offers Help For Families Of AddictsNar-Anon, a 12-Step Program for Families and Friends of

Addicts, currently has three meetings in the area:Mondays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at First Presbyterian

Church of Maumee, 200 E. Broadway St., Maumee; contactCandy D. at (419) 290-3827.

Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., at Harvest AllianceChurch, 5132 Harvest Ln., Toledo; contact Linda D. at (419)392-2420.

Saturdays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., at Unity of Toledo,3535 Executive Pkwy., Toledo; contact Karen F. at (248) 408-1853.

Mercy Health Hosts Gynecologic Cancer Group Let’s Talk It Ovar (LTIO), a support group for women

diagnosed with ovarian cancer and gynecologic cancers, meetsthe second Tuesday of the month at Mercy Health CancerCenter in Perrysburg, second-floor Pontius Room, from noonto 2:00 p.m.

There is no fee to attend. Feel free to bring lunch or asnack.

There is a special bond that forms from the intimacy ofsharing. At LTIO, we laugh, sometimes cry, but we alwayslearn something new. We learn a great deal from each otherabout treatments, tests and so much more. For more informa-tion, call Karen at (419) 215-1867 or the Ovarian CancerConnection (OCC) at (419) 866-6622.

Aromatherapy Program Offered To Cancer PatientsA program that discusses aromatherapy and the special

ways that essential oils can be used for everyday health andwellness is offered free to people with a cancer diagnosis onthe first and third Wednesday of each month from 1:00 to2:00 p.m. at The Victory Center, 5532 W. Central Ave., Ste. B,Toledo.

For more information, call The Victory Center at (419)531-7600.

Good Grief Offers Peer Support To Grieving KidsGood Grief of Northwest Ohio meets on Tuesdays at 6:00

p.m. at 7015 Spring Meadows Dr. West in Holland. GoodGrief provides peer support services to children ages 4-21 whoare grieving the loss of someone important in their lives.

Dinner is provided, followed by group sessions thatinclude age-appropriate healing activities to help childrenlearn to cope with the loss while expressing thoughts and feel-ings through music, play, art and other activities.

Groups are open-ended. Families enter and leave at theirown discretion, and there is no fee. Registration and orienta-tion are required for participation. For further information,call (419) 360-4939 or register at www.goodgriefnwo.org.

Adult Grief Group Meets At Perrysburg Hospice Hospice of Northwest Ohio offers an ongoing, interactive

grief support group for adults who are adjusting to the loss ofany loved one. The group meets from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. on thefirst and third Tuesdays of each month at the PerrysburgCenter, 30000 E. River Rd., Perrysburg.

The group is free and open to any adult; however, prereg-istration is required. Call (419) 661-4001 for more informa-tion or to register.

Parkinson’s Support Group Set At The WaterfordThe Waterford at Levis Commons and the Parkinson’s

Foundation have initiated a partnership to hold a monthlyParkinson’s support group for not only its residents, but alsopeople in the community who are either suffering from thisdisease or people who are the family members or caregivers ofsomeone affected.

This group will meet on the third Monday of every monthat 6:00 p.m. in the Waterford at Levis Commons Chapel,7100 S. Wilkinson Way, Perrysburg. For more information,call (419) 931-9390.

Vision-Impaired Support Group Meets MonthlyThe Frogtown Low Vision Support Group meets on the

first Wednesday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to noon at theHeatherdowns Branch of the Toledo-Lucas County PublicLibrary, 3265 Glanzman Rd., Toledo. For more information,visit www.frogtownvision.org, e-mail frog-towngroup2020@sbc-global.net or call (419) 877-8007.

Hospice Of Northwest Ohio Conducts Grief GroupHospice of Northwest Ohio provides free ongoing grief

support for those who have experienced the death of a spouseor partner. The group is held from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. on thesecond and fourth Tuesdays of each month at Hospice ofNorthwest Ohio’s Perrysburg Center, 30000 E. River Rd.,Perrysburg, and on the first and third Wednesdays of eachmonth from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Toledo Hospice Center,800 S. Detroit Ave., Toledo.

Facilitated by hospice bereavement counselors, the grouphelps adults learn ways to adapt to this unexpected life change,set realistic expectations and gain support and understandingin their grief.

Preregistration is required. For more information or toregister, call (419) 661-4001.

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