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Elaine and Rocco Giordano pray that it pays to advertise. Elaine's plea on the back of the couple's four-door white sedan is a proposal for life and death.
"My husband needs a kidney 928-899-9355."
Two weeks ago, Elaine chose to formulate the message that she hopes to attract a living donor.
The National Kidney Foundation states that each month, more than 2,000 names are added to the national waiting list. About 16 or 17 people die each day waiting for a vital organ such as the kidneys, heart or liver.
For more information on donating organs, visit the National Kidney Foundation's website: www.kidney.org
The reason?
"Despair," said Elaine, a native of Houston, Texas, where the Prescott Valley couple went to register on a graft list at the VA's VA medical center.
Rocco is a 66-year-old Vietnam veteran of the United States Army. In 2008, he was diagnosed with kidney disease, which reduced his function to between 30 and 40%. Otherwise, the retired Brooklyn native, who had a career in materials logistics in the aerospace industry, was in perfect health.
The father of two grown children and four grandchildren is a bright-minded gentleman who loves to travel and enjoy new adventures. What he could not predict when he was diagnosed with this cancer for the first time was the trip he would have been forced to make because of his slow kidneys, with the time to prove that he was an enemy with these organs.
Five years ago, Rocco and Elaine married in Lake George, New York. The people of New York met while living on Long Island; Elaine is the mother of four children, a deceased son and seven grandchildren who worked in the Suffolk sheriff's department before his retirement.
After the wedding, the two women packed up and left to live in Prescott Valley. Their plan was to travel and enjoy their twilight years together – and they were in the middle of that when three years ago, Rocco's kidney function had dropped to 18%.
He was forced to start a dialysis diet three days a week and three and a half hours – the routine Rocco is faithful to prevents the couple's ability to visit his family on the east coast.
Even with dialysis, Rocco's kidney function continued to slide. His kidneys now work at about 7%.
The couple started looking for a kidney, joining the VA list and the Phoenix Mayo Clinic. They prefer a living donor because the life of the kidney is longer – 16 years against 11 for a deceased donor – but will accept any suitable offer.
No family has yet emerged as a match.
The couple created leaflets and distributed them wherever they go.
Four months ago, the Mayo Clinic alerted her of a potential donation. For various reasons, the kidney went to someone else on the list.
Rocco is confirmed as a local VA patient who remains in regular contact with his transplant coordinator – the Prescott VA campus does not perform transplants but does all the initial blood tests and screenings of any potential donor, without fresh for this one, says the couple and VA officials.
Indeed, Elaine is convinced that no donor will incur virtually any expense, any more than her caregiver.
The nearest VA transplant center is in Portland, Oregon; the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix is closer and performs more than 350 transplants per year. The disadvantage of these two facilities – the couple is also listed in the National Kidney Foundation's registry – is that their waiting lists for kidneys offered last between five and seven years.
"We just need a body," Elaine said.
Donation Information
The Mayo Clinic considers kidney transplantation as a low-risk operation with long-term results for recipient patients. The transplant recipients need anti-rejection treatments for life. donors are generally able to resume normal activities within a few weeks.
Donations from living donors are possible for kidney and bone marrow transplants, with the best results often being obtained by direct relatives.
His quick wit is obvious, Rocco laughs, as they announce their phone number to potential donors, calls for solicitation seemed to follow.
When he was answering someone who was trying to sell him something, Rocco's usual response was, "Do you have a kidney for me?" If they pause or offer a negative answer, he hangs up. No time to be disturbed.
Their unorthodox public campaign may be a long shot – but Elaine said she would take any shot.
Indeed, it worked for a Paulden couple. A sign in the window of a car was spotted at a local gas station and resulted in a successful kidney transplant for Clint Russell three years ago. The Russells could not be reached for this story.
"It's an emotional roller coaster that we just want to finish very quickly," said Elaine. "He is otherwise healthy. He has a kidney and he is still 18 years old. Well, maybe 30. I'm not sure. "
Both men try to remain optimistic and do everything they can without staying down, but they both admit that it turns out to be increasingly difficult as kidney failure becomes more and more acute. They hate not to miss the baptism of their granddaughter and the marriage of a godson in New York.
Elaine and Rocco appreciate all those who might consider giving them a chance to do everything they imagined when making their wishes.
"We have a taste for life," said Elaine.
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