by Cathy Miller

One organ and tissue donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others, with the generosity of each donor and their families touching the lives of thousands of people every day.

In the Garden State, NJ Sharing Network, a non-profit, federally designated Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), connects the donor with the patient, managing the recovery and movement of the organs to the people that need them.

A living donor from Warren County recently shared his experience, his passion, and the dire need for organ donors, particularly in Warren County.

Native to the Washington area, Rudy DiGilio and his wife JoAnn live in Franklin Township. He worked at the Asbury Graphite Mill for 33 years, moving up the ranks before retiring as regional sales manager for Asia. “It was great – a great company and a great career,” he described.

Currently Board president, he has served on the Franklin Township Board of Education for 30 years, with a couple breaks of a year or more over that time.

He’s an avid reader and enjoys building stonewalls. With a nod to his heritage, he quipped, “Italians can’t stand to see random stones, they have to put them in order. It’s like an obsession!”

DiGilio dabbles in blacksmithing and woodworking, including 30 bowls carved from recycled wood from the old Asbury Grist Mill, which he donated for auction to benefit the Mill restoration.

An experienced cyclist, he races in sprint triathlons.

A runner for many years, DiGilio recently ran the 4K Run For The River in Asbury in May. He and JoAnn ran both of NJ Sharing’s 2023 5K races – Ocean Grove in May and New Providence in June.

Five years ago DiGilio donated a kidney to his brother.

After six months of processing and medical evaluation, culminating with “a physical like you’d never get in your life,” according to Digilio, he was cleared to become an organ donor.

Recovering a kidney was once an arduous, painful surgery, with a long recovery. Now it’s done laparoscopically, lessening the pain and recovery. Although greatly reduced, the risks have not been eliminated.

The procedure takes about two hours. DiGilio recalled, “My brother and I were in adjoining rooms. They took my kidney, prepped it, rushed it next door, and dropped it into my brother. His numbers were normal by the time he was in recovery, the first time in ten years. I took a bit of a hit, but it wasn’t bad. The impact on my immediate health was comparatively minimal.” The follow-up and continuing support has been outstanding.

What struck a chord and inspired DiGilio to volunteer with NJ Sharing Network was his subsequent participation in their annual 5K runs. “After the race,” he explained, “There were hundreds of families who had lost people under the worst circumstances imaginable and here they were, celebrating. I realized the fact that their loved one’s organs saved another person’s life gave them something to hold onto and make sense of their loss. It changed my life to witness that.”

In addition to the 5Ks, NJ Sharing Networks’s Transplant Games of America are held every two years, slated for Birmingham, AL in 2024. Thousands of transplant recipients, living donors, donor families, individuals on the waiting list, caregivers, transplant professionals, supporters and spectators come together for the world’s largest celebration of life. There are athletic competitions alongside options for those unable to compete athletically.

The personal stories are inspiring and poignant. Picture a woman joyfully ballroom dancing with a young man, when someone points out the young man’s heart is from the woman’s son. DiGilio mused, “If things like that don’t move you, I don’t know what will. I meet the donor families and I’m in awe.”

As a certified volunteer with NJ Sharing Network, DiGilio engages with many different groups.

He particularly relishes addressing the high school population – the sophomores and juniors preparing to get their driver’s licenses and the seniors who already have them.

He examines motivation – why a person would or wouldn’t become an organ donor. He discusses registration, responsibility and the legal side of organ donation. “When you’re 17, you can check that box on your driver’s license. When you turn 18, it becomes a legally binding decision.”

He talks about the importance of informing their families of their decision to become an organ donor.

DiGilio divulged, “When we talk about registering to become an organ donor, we highlight ‘having the conversation’ with your family. When my brother mentioned he’d eventually need a kidney I replied, ‘I’ll give you one.’ I didn’t talk to my family about it. Several years later, sharing stories at a meeting at NJ Sharing Network, my wife revealed how distraught she was over the fact that I’d promised to undergo major surgery without even discussing it with her. That was an eye-opener. As much as I stress the importance of ‘having the conversation’ I didn’t do that with her. So when you check that box on your driver’s license, immediately have the ‘conversation’ with your family!”

He also emphasizes the stark reality of organ donation by high school students. As inexperienced drivers, they’re more likely to be involved in an accident, consequently contributing quite a few organs to the system. This difficult fact is also an urgent caution to not be overconfident about their driving skills.

Students have been remarkably responsive to the presentations, sharing thoughtful comments and asking important questions.

17-year-olds have inquired about donating a kidney at their age. DiGilio pointed out, “When I donated a kidney I was around 63. Hopefully I still have about 35 more years left to protect my remaining kidney. That kid has 83 years! Consider that. What happens if you damage your remaining kidney?”

DiGilio encourages high school students to do volunteer work, since colleges look for meaningful volunteerism along with academics and extracurricular activities on student applications, suggesting they consider volunteering with NJ Sharing Network.

In addition to schools, DiGilio addresses nurses, the Lion’s Club, festivals, health fairs, farmers’ markets, “anywhere people will have us,” he laughed. He believes the best way to stress the need for organ donors is to advocate in every way possible.

He’s frequently asked “What should I do?” If it’s someone close to them, he hopes the choice is clear. Whatever the decision, he counsels, “Don’t feel guilty about not doing it.”

DiGilio offered, “To get the best sense of the vibe of organ donation, go to one of NJ Sharing Network’s 5Ks, where you really get a feel of the impact. In the absence of a health problem, you can reasonably work toward these kinds of things after a transplant. If you have one kidney you can still do everything you want to do.”

NEW PROVIDENCE RACE REVISITED: Rudy DiGilio and his wife JoAnn ran in the 5K Celebration of Life Walk and USATF (USA Track & Field) Certified Race on June 11 in New Providence. Rudy reported the crowd was in the thousands, which was a bit less than in the past, but Covid is still a concern in the immuno-compromised world. The race was a huge success, and the DiGilios had a great time. JoAnn placed second and Rudy placed fourth in their age groups. Always an emotional event, DiGilio said, “The NJSharing 5K in New Providence was a super day, and we were once again reminded of the generosity of the donor families and the profound impact the donation of their loved ones’ organs has on the recipients. Lives changed, but honor, hope, and caring remain.”