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Page 14 September 2018 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
Local Woman Receives Kidney and New
Lease on Life
James Rada, Jr.
Lois Olsen for her kidney. The news came as a
(pictured right) surprise, but they headed back to
of Thurmont suspected she had a Georgetown.
genetic time bomb inside her. Her Olsen received her new kidney
mother needed a kidney transplant on June 5, 2018. Her recovery
in 1989 because of a genetic went smoothly, although she still
condition called Polycystic Kidney has to be careful about her health.
Disease, and as Olsen neared fifty, She will also have to take anti-
she wondered if the disease would rejection medication for the rest of
present itself in her. her life. It’s a trade she gladly made
Age fifty came and went without to not have to be on dialysis every
incident. It was years later that she night.
began to lose weight unexpectedly She was able to resume her
and was diagnosed with the same work at New Midway Elementary
disease as her mother. School as the Media Specialist this
Polycystic Kidney Disease causes month.
many cysts to grow in your kidneys. What Olsen wants people to
As the cysts grow, they can enlarge know is how important it is to be
the kidneys and cause them to lose an organ donor. So many parts of
function. It can cause high blood the body can be donated to help
pressure and kidney failure. improve or save another person’s
Olsen started receiving dialysis life. Some things like blood, skin,
treatment each night. Luckily, it and kidneys can be given as a live
was a process that could be done donor. Others can be donated upon
while she slept because it took nine Photo by James Rada, Jr. your death.
hours. The dialysis helped, and she “I think a lot about the family
made sure to eat a lot of protein, a suitable donation quicker. On that lost a loved one while we’re so
which was also recommended. June 4, 2018, Olsen was told she happy,” Olsen said.
What she needed was a kidney was number 4 on the donor list at To make sure doctors act
to replace one of her failing Georgetown Hospital, and she was quickly to preserve your organs in
kidneys. Olsen’s name was put asked to drive down to have more the case of your death, make sure
on the waiting list. Her husband blood tests done. you register as an organ donor.
enrolled in a “pair share” program. The very next morning she This can be done when you renew
He essentially offered one of his received a call from the hospital your driver’s license, or you can
healthy kidneys in exchange for at 7:30 a.m. telling her that she register anytime at organdonor.gov.
a compatible kidney for his wife. needed to come to the hospital You can give the gift of life to
He hoped that she would receive because they had a perfect match someone like Lois Olsen.
W e I n vit e Y ou t o Shar e Y our G ood New s!
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