Letter to the Editor: Moorestown Councilman Thankful for the Gift of a Kidney

To the editor:

Today I am grateful, humble, overcome and filled with joy.

I had kidney disease; I have had it since I was 38. It is insipid - it kind of runs you down. Eventually it makes your kidneys curl up and stop working, and makes several other things shut down in your body. Last year my good docs told me I had to get a kidney transplant or go on dialysis.

One Sunday, we were at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill, where we are longtime members. We shared our “hard news” during coffee hour with a few friends. Four members of this church almost immediately said that week, “I will give you my kidney. I’ve got an extra one! You can depend on me.”

All four got tested at the hospital. These are the brave people who run to not away from a fire to put it out.

Today I can tell you that right now I have the best gift.

Someone cared about me enough to give a part of herself.

Chris Spirgel of Moorestown got tested and retested, and asked more questions than I did; on April 30, she donated her kidney to me. This is an act of generosity and dedication that astounds me.

The doctors have confirmed that the kidney Chris has given and the one she will keep are both very good. We are each recovering very well according to our doctors.

I am very thankful for the many folks from my church and from the Moorestown First United Methodist church Friday morning men’s group and the other Moorestown folks who have been very kind during this time. I am very thankful for the caring of my wife Nancy and our family members who have given me the best of care during my recovery.

Thinking about all of this, I wanted to share this story and ask anyone who was curious about kidney donations to learn more from the following resources: Gift of Life Donor Program at www.donors1.org, United Network for Organ Sharing at www.UNOS.org, National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org, or the Penn Medicine Transplant program at www.pennmedicine.org/transplant. There are 100,000 people every day waiting for a kidney on a list that has a typical waiting time of five years.

I am grateful, humble, and overcome by this gift of life. Thanks to God and to everyone who had a part in this journey.

Greg Newcomer

6-3-15

The attached image of Greg Newcomer and Chris Sprigel was provided by Greg Newcomer