Long-time Canton employee donates kidney to co-worker
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| Abe Vinitski and Greg Hohenberger visit the Canton Township administrative offices after their successful surgery. Photo provided courtesy of Canton Township. |
The two now share a unique bond after Vinitski received one of Hohenberger's kidneys during a directed organ donation surgery at University of Michigan Hospital.
The two men have each worked at the township in the same department for more than 20 years and as Hohenberger witnessed the ongoing deterioration of Vinitski's kidney health, he was determined to find a way to help.
After some research, he quietly took the first step to determine if he was a viable transplant candidate. After the preliminary screening, he completed the extensive testing process and was found to be a medical match for Vinitski. He then made the life-changing decision to donate a kidney to his colleague.Vinitski, a long-time supervisor of the Canton Parks division, as well as the Canton Sports Center, underwent the life-saving organ transplant from Hohenberger on March 3.
“I just don't have the words to express what Greg's donation means to me and my family,” stated Vinitski. “I am forever grateful for how much this amazing gift and selfless act has changed my life. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a private person, but one of the reasons why I want to go public with my story is to make other people aware of the importance of living donor transplants. It's pretty overwhelming to experience this act of generosity from Greg, but because of his gift, I'm able to get back to living my life with my family. How do you thank someone for that?”
“I'd do it again in a heartbeat,” Hohenberger, the director of Canton Leisure Services, said. “After I started researching kidney donation to see if I could possibly help Abe, I realized there are so many people in need, so I quickly became totally committed to the process. After going through the procedure and seeing what a difference this has made in Abe's life, I hope to use this experience to raise awareness of the need for kidney donations.”
The generosity and commitment was not lost on the entire staff at the Canton Administration Building.
“It's great to see what co-workers are willing to do for each other,” stated Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak. “Not only did this altruistic act of kindness and devotion truly change one of our employee's lives, but this amazing journey that Abe and Greg have taken together is a profound reminder that people need to support one another to get through life.”
To qualify for kidney living donation, potential donors undergo a series of tests to determine how compatible their organs will be with a recipient. Transplant teams also consider factors such as the size of the kidney and the ages of the donor and recipient.
A person with kidney disease could wait for years for a transplant from a deceased donor for the right match to be found. A donation from a living donor can speed up the process and improve a patient's quality of life much faster, according to information from The Gift of Life website.
Still recovering from the successful surgery, both Vinitski and Hohenberger were quick to thank the surgeons, transplant teams, and support staff at the Ann Arbor hospital.
“I hope more people will consider going through the donor process, and I'm thankful that Abe and I can educate people just by sharing our story,” Hohenberger said.
To learn more about organ donation visit www.giftoflife.org.
