Rosemary Cerra of Hermitage has a lot of love for her granddaughter Lauren. But apparently so do a lot of other people throughout the country.
“Love for Lauren” is a fundraiser for the National Kidney Foundation, started in behalf of Lauren Cerra. Already others have been held in a few different states. In talking with Rosemary recently, I learned of the uplifting story of Lauren, a daughter of Kathleen and Christopher Cerra, Sharpsville Class of 1975, who now live in New Jersey.
A few years back at age 14, Lauren was diagnosed with a rare degenerative juvenile kidney disease. She was told that her kidneys would fail within six months to a year. They could only hope that a matching kidney could be found for a transplant. However it wasn’t to be. Still she hung on, going through six years of medication and painful shots by her mother under direction of the Pediatric Nephrology Transplant Center of St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J.
It was almost miraculous. In fact, she was well enough to compete and join her cheer squad which won the New Jersey state championship. She went on to Seton Hall University because it was close to her transplant center, knowing she was living on borrowed time. The summer leading into her sophomore year, her kidneys finally gave out and she underwent her first transplant surgery. However, within hours of the surgery, the donated kidney from a young doctor who died in a car accident, failed. It had to be immediately removed. What followed were months of dialysis, awaiting another kidney. After more than a year, another suitable donor was found. A young person in his 20’s had died during a church service. Another surgery. But within two weeks, her body was rejecting the kidney. The doctors tried everything to save the kidney. Then they decided to try desperate measures. The specialists at St. Barnabas recommended an experimental drug therapy, tried by only a few people in the world. Within two treatments, the rejection was halted. Even though weakened by the ordeal and missing weeks of classes, Lauren insisted on finishing her semester at college. Since then she has been doing well.
Family and friends rallied around her and started “Love for Lauren.” To date the National Kidney Foundation fundraisers have been held in Connecticut and Massachusetts, with more expected in other areas. All funds go in her name to the foundation. Lauren, a public relations major, has become involved in helping raise funds and held an event just recently. Anyone who wishes to share some “Love for Lauren” can donate to the foundation at http://donate.kidney.org/site/TR?pg=team-team& fr_id=2504&team;_id=59520. Click on team member to sponsor (i.e. Lauren Cerra), choose SPONSOR ME and follow the directions.
ä Calling all singers, dancers, comedians, plate spinners, jugglers, ventriloquists and even dancing bears. The theme of the annual Mercer County Senior Follies this year is “The Best of Ed Sullivan,” featuring many of the acts and works of entertainers who appeared on that legendary TV show. An open call for anyone — usually aged 50 or older — who wishes to participate this year will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at Shenango Valley Senior Center, Buhl Farm Drive, Hermitage. I have participated the past several years and I can assure anyone, it is a heckuva lot of fun. So come and sign up. Not only that, it helps raise money for the Area Agency on Aging.
Lynn Saternow of The Herald writes this column each Saturday for the Opinion page. He can be reached at lsaternow@sharonherald.com
