An open letter from Patricia Dentice, daughter of former FDNY Battalion Chief William Delaney.
This is the most difficult and most important letter I will ever write. I am asking for someone to help save my son’s life! My 23-year-old son, Gregory Dentice, is in urgent need of a kidney transplant. Greg has had kidney disease since he was 10 years old and, despite 13 years of intensive treatment, he needs a kidney transplant within the next few months to avoid dialysis treatments four times a day, seven days a week. There are currently over 90,000 people on the waitlist for a kidney and Greg does not have that kind of time. However, there is an option of receiving a kidney from a living donor.
My name is Patricia Dentice and I am the proud daughter of NYC Fireman, William Delaney, retired Battalion Chief. Our family of six children grew up in the close-knit community of Stuyvesant Town, which led me to raise my own three children here. Keith, Cassin and Greg went to the local catholic school, The Epiphany School, where I have worked as a teacher there for nearly 20 years. My husband, Wayne, was an ironworker with Local 580 for 24 years, until he was forced to retire due to a traumatic brain injury. Having spent the better part of my life in NYC I know and have experienced the generosity and good will of New Yorkers. With this in mind, I am reaching out to ask if someone would be willing to donate a kidney to Greg.
My immediate family has been tested and for medical reasons are prohibited from donating. At this time, we have no other choice than to rely on your good will. We understand this is a huge commitment and it is not easy for us to ask, but your sacrifice could save Greg’s life and give him hope for a normal future.
On behalf of Greg, I am pleading with someone to donate a kidney.
Here are some facts about living kidney donation:
· You only need one kidney to live
· Donor surgery is done laparoscopically; which is an incision through the belly button
· The recovery period is about 2 weeks
· The cost of evaluation and surgery is covered under the receiver’s (Greg) insurance
· You will have a team of professionals to look after your best interests–evaluate you as a living donor and help you understand the risks and benefits
If you would like more information you can visit www.kidney.org/livingdonationor by contacting the National Kidney Foundation hotline at 855-NFK-CARE (855-653-2273) or email at nkfcares@kidney.org If you would like to see if you are a candidate to donate your kidney to Greg please visit this website here. You can also contact New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Transplant Center at 212-746-3037.
Thank you for taking the time to read my son’s story.
May God bless you and your families,
Patti Dentice