When Civica Perez, a 64-year-old grandmother from Secaucus,
hosted a birthday party for a friend she has known for more
than 20 years, it was the first time she met the Placensias. Sebastian
Placensia, a 48-year-old truck driver from Jersey City, and
his wife Angela were among the guests at the birthday celebration.
“Civica was a very friendly and happy lady, so kind
to everyone,” Mr. Placensia recalls of their first
encounter. They did not meet again until eight months
later, at another party. It was here that Mr. Placensia
learned that Ms. Perez had kidney disease.
“Right there at the party he offered me his kidney,” says
Ms. Perez, still astounded by the suggestion. “Sebastian
is so young. I didn’t want him to make any sacrifice
for me. I have had a wonderful life with a loving husband
and two beautiful children,” she explained. But, Mr.
Placensia persisted and several days later, with his wife’s
support, he contacted the Renal and Pancreas Transplant Center
at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
“I donated my kidney because I wanted to try to save
a life,” he says simply. “The most important
thing is that we open our hearts to others. We need to change
things for the future generation. Civica came to this country
from Cuba. I came from the Dominican Republic and my ancestors
were Cuban and Hebrew. People match across nationalities,” he
explains. Mr. Placensia was confident that he could live
a normal life with one kidney because he knew a man who was
left with one kidney after a motorcycle accident.
True to his prediction, Mr. Placensia is healthy and active
following surgery. As for Ms. Perez… “I
am alive again!” she proclaims when asked about the
change in her health since her transplant in May, 2002. “Sebastian
and Angela are part of my life and my family now.”
Ms. Perez plans to volunteer at the Transplant Center when
she is completely recovered from her transplant surgery.
She hopes to talk with other Spanish-speaking patients to
help them understand all of their treatment options. “God
gave me an angel. Now it’s my turn to help someone,” she
explains.
Six Weeks Post-Transplant – Kidney
donor Sebastian Placensia (second from right) and recipient
Civica Perez (second from left) visit the Renal and Pancreas
Transplant Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center together
for follow-up care six weeks after the transplant, meeting
up with Sadanand Palekar, M.D., Clinical Director of Transplant,
and Carmen Flores, R.N.C., Transplant Coordinator.
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