March 28 - April 3, 2014
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996
March is National Kidney Month, and in
honor of the millions of Americans who suffer from kidney disease, in this issue we share stories about the life-saving gift two husbands gave to their wives – healthy kidneys.
Three kidneys and a heap of faith
did you know? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 10 percent of U.S. adults 20 and older have chronic kidney disease. Kidney disease often has no symptoms until the late stages. Simple tests can confirm whether your kidneys are functioning normally. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney failure. Kidney disease is the ninth-leading cause of death in the United States. A recent study suggests that drinking two or more cola drinks (diet or regular) daily may increase your risk of chronic kidney disease.
www.nwobserver.com
Wife keeps damaged kidneys, receives a healthy one from her husband by LAURA PULLINS STOKESDALE – At age 23, it was hard for Tina Forlines to grasp that her kidneys were functioning at only 30 percent. However, after a routine visit to the doctor, tests revealed she had high blood pressure and her kidneys were shutting down. “A week later, they told me I’d need a kidney transplant by the time I was 30,” she recalls. With no history of kidney disease in her family, Tina found herself in unfamiliar and frightening territory.
...continued on p. 7
Photo courtesy of Tina Forlines
Sporting hospital gowns and towing IV poles, Tina and Noah Forlines anxiously walk the halls of UNC Hospital just hours before Noah donated his kidney to the love of his life, Tina.
Husband gives a gift of love, life
After verifying he was a compatible donor, husband donates kidney to his wife by LAURA PULLINS SUMMERFIELD – Only six weeks after they got married, Randy and Maria Smith faced their first serious challenge as a newlywed couple. It was one they would learn to deal with for the rest of their lives. At just 25, Maria was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), a genetic disorder in which cystic growths develop on the kidneys and cause the organs to become enlarged. While other young couples
were adjusting to their life together and planning for their first home, Maria and Randy were dealing with a grave situation – without treatment, Maria’s kidneys would only get worse. While struggling to find a doctor in North Carolina who would accept her insurance, Maria learned of a PKD research program at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In October 2011, Maria began
...continued on p. 18
Photo courtesy of Maria Smith
Randy and Maria Smith are all smiles as they wait to start their kidney transplant procedures at the University of Maryland Medical Center on Sept. 4, 2013.
IN THIS ISSUE News in brief........................... 3 Your Questions ....................... 4 Summerfield Town Council ... 6 Gann inducted into HOF....... 9 Business Notes ..................... 10 Bits & Pieces ..........................11 Community Calendar......... 15 Crime/Incident Report ........ 16 Letters/Opinions ................. 16 Grins & Gripes .......................17 Classifieds ............................ 19 Index of Advertisers ............ 23