The Coaster
No Result
View All Result
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
  • Login
  • About The Coaster
  • Advertise in The Coaster
  • Subscribe to the Coaster
ADVERTISE
SUBSCRIBE
  • About The Coaster
  • Advertise in The Coaster
  • Subscribe to the Coaster
No Result
View All Result
The Coaster
No Result
View All Result
Home Uncategorized

The Gift of Life

by The Coaster Editorial
January 24, 2018
Reading Time:2 mins read
0

 

RELATED POSTS

Asbury Park Man Charged in Stabbing of 2 Teens Outside High School

Parking is Easier in Ocean Grove…For Now

Searching for Information on City’s Baby Parade

Beth Williscroft is doing well with the kidney donated to her by her husband, Donald.
Beth Williscroft is doing well with the kidney donated to her by her husband, Donald.

By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI

Four years after receiving one of her husband’s kidneys, a Bradley Beach woman is doing well and calling the entire episode “a miracle.”

Beth Williscroft, 57, was a healthy 50-year-old woman when a rare one in a million person disease, Goodpasture syndrome,(GPS) took hold and caused her kidneys to shut down completely.

The disease is a rare autoimmune disease which causes the body to attack itself.

Williscroft first went to see her doctor because she had a sinus infection and also felt like she had the flu.

In short time she learned it was not so simple and soon after lost all kidney function, leading to three years of dialysis.

Vote Pallone Vote Pallone Vote Pallone
ADVERTISEMENT

According to the National Kidney Foundation, GPS can last anywhere from a few weeks to two years. The five-year survival rate is 80 percent and fewer than 30 percent of people with Goodpasture syndrome will suffer long-term kidney damage requiring dialysis.

At the time of her diagnosis Williscroft had just started a new job at the Division of Motor Vehicles but was forced to quit.

“It wipes you out,” Williscroft said of dialysis.

She and her doctors at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center then began a search for a kidney donor.

But even though she had a common blood type, B positive, Williscroft said because of all the antibodies in her blood caused by the disease, finding a donor was next to impossible.

All of her relatives agreed to be tested, as well as neighbors and friends, but none were deemed suitable.

She asked about her husband Donald donating but he was taking Coumadin at the time for a thick blood disorder.

When the team at Robert Wood Johnson retested him, they found that he did not have the disorder after all and he stopped taking Coumadin.

At that time the kidney team at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center told her about a group at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in California where they would desensitize or “clean” her blood of the antibodies and allow Donald to become a donor.

In California she also learned that Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York City also performed the desensitization therapy and so the couple traveled back east.

After several tests over six months doctors at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital gave Donald approval to donate a kidney.

Williscroft had the transplant surgery on Feb. 27, 2014 at Robert Wood Johnson.

“They transplanted us, it was a miracle,” she said.

Although Williscroft feels well, she is is unable to work.

“I take a lot of medications to suppress my immune system and I have to get tested every two months,” she said.

This month the couple, who have six children ages 20 to 37, also celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

“Christmas is pretty crazy at our house,” she said.

Williscroft also wants to thank an anonymous donor who offered a kidney when the first article about her surgery appeared in The Coaster several months before her transplant.

“I never found out who it was, but somebody offered to be a donor and I want to send my thanks,” she said.

Tags: Bradley BeachJoanne L. Papaianni
ShareTweetShare

The Coaster Editorial

Related Posts

Asbury Park Man Charged in Stabbing of 2 Teens Outside High School
Uncategorized

Asbury Park Man Charged in Stabbing of 2 Teens Outside High School

March 11, 2021
Shore Communities

Parking is Easier in Ocean Grove…For Now

October 2, 2020
Uncategorized

Searching for Information on City’s Baby Parade

July 28, 2020
Uncategorized

Shore Scenes

May 26, 2020
Uncategorized

Area Athletes Working to Keep Sharp During Pandemic

May 4, 2020
Uncategorized

Palaia Park Opening May 1

April 29, 2020
Next Post

Neptune Officials Tackle Homeless Issue

City to Discuss West Side Community Center

Recommended Stories

Area Runners Fund Van for Disabled Vets

June 1, 2016

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting to Replace 600 Feet of Boardwalk

February 11, 2020

Asbury Park Approves Changes to Oceanfront High Rise

May 10, 2017

Popular Stories

  • Amazon Moving Into Ocean Township

    Amazon Moving Into Ocean Township

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • VNA to Begin Vaccinations at Asbury Park Senior Center

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • New Biking, Walking Path Planned Along Shark River

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Accident at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Sunset Avenue in Asbury Park Wednesday afternoon

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Neptune City Police Officer Facing Charges; 4 Other Officers sentenced

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
The Coaster | Editorial Newspaper & Online Stories

We bring you the best stories around our New Jersey Shore communities that keep you up to date about the latest news and stories.

Recent Posts

  • No Parking on Main Street While Paving Continues
  • Need Help Scheduling for Vaccine?
  • What’s Up

Categories

  • Asbury Park City Desk
  • Business
  • Featured
  • Health
  • Music
  • Politics
  • Shore Communities
  • Special Features
  • Uncategorized

Tags

Adopt-A-Pet Allenhurst Arts and Entertainment Arts and Recreation Asbury Park Avon Bonnie Graham Bradley Beach Chris Christopher Corona Virus COVID Deal Deal Lake Denise Herschel Don Stine Ed Salvas Interlaken Joanne L. Papaianni Joe Sapia Katharina Cavano Loch Arbour Long Branch Melissa Beveridge Michael Rogers Music Neptune Neptune City Night Out Ocean Grove Ocean Township Out & About Pete Walton Police Blotter Prosecutor's Office Richard Virgilio School News Shark River Hills Shore Communities Sports The BPlot The Question Is... Tinton Falls Tom Chesek Vaccinations What's Up!

© 2020 The Coaster | NJ Shore Editorial | Newspaper and Online Stories. Site proudly designed by Jolt Fire Studios- Boutique Creative Studio based in New Jersey.

No Result
View All Result
  • About The Coaster
  • Advertise in The Coaster
  • Subscribe to the Coaster

© 2020 The Coaster | NJ Shore Editorial | Newspaper and Online Stories. Site proudly designed by Jolt Fire Studios- Boutique Creative Studio based in New Jersey.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?