The mission of the National Kidney Registry is to save and improve the
lives of people facing kidney failure by increasing the quality, speed, and
number of living donor transplants in the world.
Every incompatible or poorly compatible living donor in the world will pass through a common registry - 95% of these pairs will find a match in less than six months with the majority being age compatible six antigen matches - extending the functioning life of these transplanted kidneys while simultaneously reducing the deceased donor waiting lists.
The National Kidney Registry is a nonprofit organization registered under the laws
of the State of New York. The National Kidney Registry is based out of Long Island,
New York and supported by counselors, volunteers and partners around the United States.
When my youngest daughter was 10 years old, her kidneys failed. When we learned that she would never recover her kidney function, I raced home to check my old military records for my blood type to see if I would be able to donate my kidney. I was overcome with relief when I discovered that we were both “A” blood type and I would be able to donate. Both my wife and my oldest daughter were “B” blood type, so they were incompatible and could not donate.
I immediately went to my doctor to see if I was medically qualified to donate. Everything looked good, but my blood pressure was higher than normal so I increased my workout schedule to 2-4 hours a day, 7 days a week. When my doctor measured my blood pressure after a few weeks, it had increased. He sent me home with a 24-hour blood pressure monitor so we could see where my blood pressure was when I was out of his office. That did the trick. I had white coat syndrome. I knew that if my blood pressure was high, it would keep me from donating my kidney and there was nothing more important than being able to donate my kidney to my little girl.
To be safe, I was tested along with three of her uncles. All four of us passed the tests and three of us were three antigen matches. Now I was even more secure. Not only could I donate but I had some very good backups in case something went wrong and I could not donate.
The surgery was scheduled for a Thursday in the middle of May. That Monday, we received a call from the transplant center letting us know there was a problem and we needed to return to the center and do another cross-match test. We took the additional test and waited. Late Tuesday, 36 hours prior to surgery, we received another call. I had failed the cross-match again. Surgery was canceled. I could not donate because my daughter would, most likely, reject my kidney. She had developed a very potent antibody against my B60 antigen.
The following week, an anonymous donor surfaced who was a three antigen match with my daughter. After another trip to the hospital and another cross-match test, we learned that the anonymous donor had failed the cross-match test also. In the weeks that followed, all of the uncles that were initially tested failed subsequent cross-match tests. We had gone from five donors to zero. This was a dark time. In response to this, my wife and I worked around the clock to recruit and test additional donors. We also attempted to enter ourselves in every kidney exchange program in the United States. None of these paired exchange programs were able to find a match for our daughter. Several programs did not even return my many phone calls and some of them wanted to force our daughter to switch to far away hospitals just to enter their exchange program. In the end, after screening 15 potential direct donors, we found one who was compatible and could donate, my daughter’s 23-year-old cousin. He cleared all the hurdles, was an excellent match, and is an incredible person.
My daughter received her new kidney on July 12, 2007. Both my daughter and her cousin are doing well. My primary health focus now is staying in shape so that I can donate my kidney to my daughter in a swap, should my daughter ever need another transplant.
Our transplant-related challenges are behind us, but there are thousands of people who face these same challenges every year. As we struggled through the complex and difficult process of finding a compatible donor, it was clear to me that there was a better way. If all incompatible donors and recipients were simply listed in one common pool and modern computer technology was used to find matches, the problems related to incompatible donors would be a thing of the past. The National Kidney Registry was founded to make this vision a reality.
Garet became involved in kidney-related healthcare when his daughter was diagnosed with kidney failure at age 10. He wanted to donate his kidney and proceeded through the evaluation process only to learn, 36 hours prior to surgery, that he would not be able to donate because his daughter would reject his kidney. Garet’s daughter received a kidney after a difficult and extensive donor search. She and her donor are doing well. It was during this challenging period that he conceived of a better way to organize living donor transplants that could save the lives of thousands of people facing kidney failure. This was the founding idea of the National Kidney Registry.
Garet has 25+ years of business experience, including serving as Chief Executive Officer for both public and private companies. In addition to leading the Registry, Garet owns a consulting & software development company, serves on the boards of Peridrome Corporation and the Dattoli Cancer Center and is a member of the UNOS Paired Exchange Working Group. Prior to starting the Registry, Garet led the $5 million dollar acquisition/turnaround of a digital printing company that was sold after 11 years under his leadership for $1.1 billion dollars. Prior to this, Garet held several management and technology positions at EDS, General Motors, and other leading firms. Garet earned his MBA from the Wharton School, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Montana, and served in the United States Marine Corps.
Thomas Mollo Executive Director
Tom’s interest in kidney-related healthcare is one of a very personal
nature. Tom’s father, at the age of 48, died as a result of kidney
failure. His father left behind a wife and five young children. Not only was
his father’s life cut short but his death became a major life-changing
experience for the entire family. Tom views kidney exchanges as an opportunity
to minimize the chances that other families will have to go through the same
devastating experience as he did and to offer a better life to those affected
by kidney disease.
Tom has 25+ years of management experience, including senior operating
positions at TIAA-CREF and JC Penney. While at TIAA-CREF, Tom was responsible
for the communication of sensitive financial information to 3.2 million
customers representing over $380 billion in assets under management. Tom has
managed large-scale operations and has extensive experience dealing with
technology-based mission-critical applications. Tom attended the New York
Institute of Technology and served 20 years in the New York Air National Guard.
Rich Marta Senior Software Designer
Rich has 30+ years of experience innovating business solutions for leading
companies including Prudential, Merrill Lynch, ADP, and DST Systems. Progressing
from expanding the applicability of existing equipment, he later developed
complete, unique, proprietary systems, bridging inter-industry components
using self-conceived hardware. Systems featuring cross-industry component
integration generated new capabilities and economies, greatly broadening product
salability and realizing millions in savings. While Rich primarily developed
manufacturing systems for paper-based products or developed the product itself,
he also pioneered many operational and administrative processes, such as the
first mixed-weight mail postage payment system recognized nationally by the
U.S. Postal Service. In more recent years, Rich extended his ingenuity to
software development where his unique client software solutions garnered many
loyal customers. Rich received a bachelor’s degree in music composition,
performed professionally, and has written much original music.
Joe Sinacore Counselor
Joe and his family are personally connected to the issues related to
Kidney disease through his cousin who is facing kidney failure and in need
of a transplant. Joe is a seasoned executive with 15 years of success in
business development, relationship management, team management, and operations
leadership positions. Prior to joining the National Kidney Registry, Joe held
positions with RR Donnelley and Rapid solutions Group where he managed multi
million dollar business relationships with prominent Healthcare and Financial
services firms. Well versed in technology, Joe influenced the development of
groundbreaking document production and distribution solutions that changed
the industry and are still in use today. Joe holds an AAS in Business
Administration from SUNY Rockland in Suffern New York. Joe is also active in
his church where he served as president of an essential parish organization.
Debra Kennedy
Administrative Coordinator
I was born and brought up in Zambia Central Africa, my family moved to England where I finished my education and further studies.
At the age of 18, I was diagnosed by Kidney Specialist Dr John Barnes of the Royal Cornwall Hospital in England with IgA Nephropathy and faced possible kidney failure in the future. After the initial shock and fear of the unknown I decided that I wanted to make the most of the healthier time I had left and went off to fulfill my dream job managing a Safari Camp in Luangwa Valley Zambia, this was a six month seasonal job which worked very well with having to go back to England for my check ups. This truly was an amazing opportunity and time in my life.
After twelve years my kidneys deteriorated to the point where I required peritoneal dialysis and ultimately a transplant.
I was fortunate in that my brother was a match for me and following a year of various tests and cross matches my brother was able to donate a kidney to me. I remember how healthy I felt immediately following surgery. After being sick for so long I had forgotten what it felt like to be healthy. There are no words to express to my brother what he has done for me. I may face the possibility that I need a transplant again in the future but as a recipient I am no longer afraid of the unknown but have relief in the fact that people like me have the opportunity for another chance in life because of the amazing people that offer to donate a kidney, the hard work of the National Kidney Registry and participating Transplant Centers pulling together to make this possible. I am now working for the National Kidney Registry as the Administrative Coordinator and thankful to be a part of this amazing process and step in life.
Ira Brody
Chief Development Officer
Mr. Brody was part of the team that developed the strategic plan for the Statue of Liberty Ellis Island campaign… the kickoff to America’s 200th Anniversary Celebration. Ira also helped Zach Fisher to develop the strategic marketing and development plan that transformed the mothballed aircraft carrier Intrepid into America’s Sea, Air, and Space Museum. Through 1982-1984 he played an instrumental marketing and development role on Peter Uberoth’s, Los Angeles Olympic planning team. The results set the standards for all Olympics to come. Ira also worked with the team, which included Jackie Kennedy, to raise $400 million to renovate Grand Central Station reestablishing it as one of New York City’s premier landmark buildings.
Another milestone in nonprofit marketing was Mr. Brody’s creation of the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Approval. It was the first nonprofit health agency logo to appear on any consumer product as an endorsement of the products efficacy. The display of the logo on millions of containers and tubes of over-the-counter skin cancer preventative products brought immediate name recognition to the foundation. Organization integrity was not compromised because of stringent product requirements. The Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Approval continues to generate millions of dollars from new / renewed licensing fees.
In 1987, Mr. Brody was asked to become the first CEO of the music industry’s T.J. Martell Foundation a position he would hold simultaneously as Vice President of SONY Entertainments new Cause Related Marketing and promotional division. The division worked with thousands of nonprofits instituting point of purchase partnerships and leveraging product donations and entertainment launches predicated on reaching targeted markets. Brody’s success was attributed to his ability to implement turnkey programs for the nonprofits.
In 1992 BrodyKatz Marketing and Communications was born. As a representative of corporations to the non profit sector, Mr. Brody once again changed the landscape of cause related marketing. Brody had begun to realize that his super event successes like The Easter L’eggs Hunt and Hands Across America though profitable and highly visible were logistical and time consuming. Going back to his basic philosophy of fulfilling the “consumer or donors need” he encouraged non profits to brand products with the corporate sector. The development and marketing of Arthritis Foundation Relief Medication with McNeil Labs was an early success.
Brody went into semiretirement, consulting and giving seminars on non profit development, cause related marketing and public healthcare policy for MCI, CMS, and the American Medical Association. He has lectured at Columbia University; Harvard Business School; Stanford; Wharton School of Business and others. In 2004, he was asked by the American Red Cross of Westchester County to take over the responsibilities of Chief Development Officer a position he held until 2006.
Debra Kennedy