Volume 31, Number 8
In August & inside 3rd – 2nd Chance Run .............................. page 1 rd 3 – Tractor benefit for WPS ..................... page 4 th 17 – Painting with a Twist .............................. page 3 th 28 – Caregiver Conference ............................ page 10 Texas Tech Football schedule .............. page 10
Schools begin for students: 14th - Lubbock ISD 14th - Lubbock-Cooper 19th - Frenship ISD 19th - New Deal ISD 21st - Slaton ISD 26th - Idalou ISD 26th - Shallowater ISD
National Senior Citizens Day is held annually on Aug. 21, a day of special recognition for all seniors. It’s a great time to let your favorite senior know just how special he or she is to you.
August 2019
24 Pages
Lubbock, Texas 79401
Choosing to be strong, even when it’s the only choice
it was absolutely necessary for a By Michelle Bless transplant. “Even at the Polycystic kidney disease has age of 18, I alnumerous potential side effects. ready knew my kidneys were go(See Choosing to be strong, Page 2) ing to fail.” Jana Gardnd ner, a nurse at Covenant Medical Center, was The 2nd Chance Run hosted diagnosed with genetic polycysby LifeGift is set for 7 a.m. tic kidney disease Aug. 3 at Mackenzie Park. at the age of 18. Transplant recipients, doNumerous famnor family members, healthily members have care professionals, and donasuffered from the Jana Gardner and Nancy Leal 10 years after transplant. tion advocates will participate disease, which to raise funds and awareness causes cysts to grow on the kidneys, ner a second chance at life with a for the nearly 11,000 Texans causing them to expand abnormally kidney transplant. waiting for a second chance “Going through the process and and eventually fail. at life. “At that point in time,” Gardner knowing that you’ve got someone Registration fees for the said, “my best friend said, ‘This is there to rescue you and give you a run will be donated to Lifeyour kidney,’ as she pointed to her second chance at life is pretty humright kidney and said, ‘Here you bling,” Gardner said. Gift. Although Leal was willing from go.’” For more event deFor 23 years after meeting Gard- the get-go to donate her kidney to tails or to register, visit ner at Frenship High School in Wolf- Gardner, kidneys from a donor will www.2ndchancerun.org forth, Texas, Nancy Leal, the director last a limited, although extensive, LifeGift is the local organ of pediatrics at University Medical time. and tissue donation agency To avoid the risk of needing a Center, was prepared to keep her associated with Donate Life second transplant, it was crucial that promise to her high school friend. Texas. On Nov. 6, 2008, Leal gave Gard- Gardner keep her own kidneys until
2 Chance Run set for Aug. 3