Faces of the Games
PATRICK SULLIVAN, 59
New York, New York
For more than 30 years Fr. Patrick Sullivan, a Catholic priest, carried a signed organ donor card in his wallet. But two years ago, he decided it was time to seize the moment and donate an organ while he was still alive. It was upon hearing that wealthy people in need of kidneys purchased them from cash-desperate individuals in third world countries that convinced him. "If there were enough voluntary donors, these people might not be exploited," he says. Upon further research, Fr. Sullivan learned that undergoing live donation surgery is now relatively easy and safe, with no long-term ill effects.
After going through numerous physical and psychological exams to determine if he was an appropriate donor, a date was set for the surgery. Although Fr. Sullivan had familiarized himself with every physical step of the procedure, he wasn't prepared for its emotional and spiritual impact. "I found that I could tell others about the procedure," he explains, "but I would choke up when I tried to express what it meant to me. I suppose this act of generosity touched my soul as well as my body."
Three-and-a-half days following the surgery, Fr. Sullivan left the hospital; one week post surgery, he celebrated Mass. Fr. Sullivan doesn't know if he'll ever meet his recipient, although he did receive an unsigned thank-you note.
Last year, Fr. Sullivan composed a special organ donation benediction that he recited in front of 5,000 transplant recipients, organ donors and professionals at the opening ceremonies of the Olympic-style National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games. This Summer Fr. Sullivan will travel to Louisville to participate once again in the National Kidney Foundation 2006 U.S. Transplant Games, where he will cheer on thousands of transplant athletes as they celebrate their gift of life through competition. There he will also participate in a number of events geared to organ donors and their families.
