PROFILES IN COURAGE
BY FRED CHERNOW
By now you have no doubt
heard about our Board
member and Treasurer,
Marty Schwartzman, and his urgent
need for a liver transplant. After
months of searching, Marty finally
found a donor who was a perfect
match. This heaven-sent donor
doesn't live at North Shore Towers,
but her girlfriend does.
In putting this story together, I
interviewed the resident, the donor,
Marty, and his daughter. All of them,
profiles in courage. I wanted you to
hear from them in their own voices
and words. These interviews have
been condensed for clarity and space
limitations.
We begin with Jackie Rappaport
of Building Three, who is Linda
Rappaport’s daughter-in-law and the
mother of two young boys. Jackie’s
older son needed a heart transplant
when he was born five years ago.
He got one after a long search and
is thriving now.
She was working in the Greenthal
office when Marty came in one day
with a poster his daughter Allyson
had made describing his search. He
asked to have it displayed. Linda
immediately put it up and began a
word-of-mouth campaign. Jackie
embarked on another approach:
She posted Marty's poster on her
Instagram account.
Jackie told me, “I remembered our
arduous search when Tyler needed
his transplant and I wanted to do
something to get a match for Marty.
I was shocked when a long-time
friend of mine from elementary
school replied on Instagram. Katie
Postle now lives in New Jersey and
wanted more information. I filled
her in and referred her to NYU
Medical Center where the transplant
would take place...that is, if Katie
turned out to be a suitable donor.
Fortunately she was, and the rest of
the story is history.”
I asked Katie if she ever considered
an organ donation in the past.
“I've donated blood, plasma and
platelets,” she said, “but there was
something about Jackie's request
that got to me. We've been friends
since our teens and she has always
been so genuine and caring. I knew
this was something I would want to
do even though I never met Marty.”
The surgery entailed removing
a part of Katie's healthy liver and
implanting it in place of Marty's liver,
which had been removed. It would
slowly regenerate in Marty's body
and Katie's reduced liver would grow
back to its original size in about six
weeks.
I asked Katie about her stay at the
hospital. Her surgery took several
hours and there was a lot of aftercare.
“The specific transplant team that I
was assigned to is wonderful,” she
said. “At every step in the process
they made me feel comfortable and
informed. Dr. Dagher, the surgeon,
has this calm confidence about himself
that is very reassuring. Dr. Olsen,
my hepatologist, is extremely caring
and has made sure that I know that
I am her priority. The nursing staff
is very responsive. There are several
follow up visits and everything looks
good.”
She continued, “I met Marty for
the first time the night before our
surgeries. We 'ran into each other'
in the halls of the recovery unit a
few times after that. We hope to
get together this summer, outdoors
somewhere. By that time we will be
feeling a lot better and we can get to
know each other and our families.”
In her final remarks to me, Katie
said, “I hope that someone reading
this will want to do something like
this. This helped me understand
that the greatest gift is in giving. Of
course, the recipient is rewarded, but
so is the donor. I feel I am the lucky
one, being able to give.”
I asked Marty about his hospital
experience. “I was in surgery for 12
hours. I was discharged from NYU
21 days later. The care I received
was outstanding as the surgeons, Dr.
Dagher and Dr.Gelb, would see me
a few times each day and the nurses
were phenomenal.”
When I asked him how he felt
now, he enthusiastically responded.
“I am enjoying life! At last I am
not itching intensely. My skin color
is back to normal. I feel as if I am
reborn, given a second chance at life
and want to make the most of every
day. I would absolutely recommend
NYU Langone as the best transplant
center in New York.”
“Lastly,” he said, “there are no
words that can adequately express
my gratitude to Katie for saving my
life. She is my guardian angel and
restored my faith in humanity. In
the future I hope to work with Katie
and Jackie to encourage others to be
living donors.”
It was Allyson's poster that attracted
Katie in the first place. Allyson
told me, “When I got the phone call
from my father saying that he had a
suitable match, my heart sank and
I started crying happy tears. I have
watched my father's suffering over
the last couple of years. It has truly
been a dream come true. My father
now has a second chance to live a
happy and fulfilled life.”
She added, “I am getting married
in November 2022, and I am eternally
grateful to Katie that my father will
be able to walk me down the aisle.”
Wedding guests are advised to
bring extra Kleenex for what will be
a most unforgettable moment.
Looking good, Marty!
Marty will be walking his daughter Allyson down the aisle next year!
Marty and his guardian angel, Katie
April 2021 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 3