THE PERFECT DONOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59
and friends were determined to expedite the search to find
Grabowski a kidney match.
The initial pursuit of an O negative blood type donor failed
on three attempts. Grabowski’s wife, Jean, his cousin and his
best friend all were tested to be donors. Finally, Grabowski’s
niece, Lauren Mortenson, heard that her Uncle Ted needed
a kidney. And she was willing to do anything to help him get
the transplant.
It wasn’t until Mortenson also failed to match her uncle’s
blood type that she learned that there was still a way for her
to help make the miracle happen. She was introduced to the
Saint Barnabas Donor Kidney Exchange Program, an oppor-
tunity to match a group of donors with candidates in need
of a transplant. In other words, if Mortenson donated a kid-
ney, her uncle would be paired with another donor match.
Mortenson didn’t hesitate to step up.
“My mom raised me to have the belief that you’re there for
your family no matter what,” she reinforced. “You do any-
thing you can for them.”
On Nov. 7, Mortenson and Grabowski lay side-by-side in
medical gowns waiting for their procedures. They were two
of eight individuals participating in the Donor Exchange
Program that would interchange kidneys within 24 hours.
Grabowski was the first to go into the operating room. As
Mortenson gave him a hug for good luck, Grabowski held
her tightly.
“I like to say that I donated for him,” Mortenson explained.
“I donated to somebody else, but it was for him.”
Grabowski hasn’t been introduced to the individual whose
kidney donation now has him feeling better than he has in
a long time. But when he explains the experience, he’s quick
to boast that his niece is his donor.
“My niece is the real hero here,” Grabowski distinguished.
Both Grabowski and Mortenson hit their first two months
post-op with overwhelming success. Mortenson is back to
work as a guidance counselor at Saint Matthias Elementary
School in Somerset. Other than the scars from her incisions,
she soon will hardly feel any difference in her health even
after donating a kidney. And if she ever were to have kidney
problems later in life, Mortenson will be placed at the top of
a priority list to find a donor match.
Grabowski has fallen into a new routine of walking four
miles a day with his Rottweiler. Each day, Grabowski strides
toward full recovery to prove to his doctor that he is ready
to go back to work as soon as possible. With his blood tests
coming back clean and clear each time, it looks like he’ll be
able to finish out his 25 years with Middlesex County Cor-
rections just the way he always pictured.
“I can’t wait to get back to work,” Grabowski confirmed as
the new year began. “After doing this for so long, I want to
get back in my groove and do what I need to do. I’m definite-
ly not ready to retire yet.” d
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2017 RESULTS
CORE CONCEPTS
November
Maplewood PD #1 Score for Lt. 94%
Maplewood PD #1 Score for Sgt. 95%
August
Washington Twp #1 Score: 95%
60
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ JANUARY 2018
POLICE RESOURCES
VERSION 1203
December
Ho Ho Kus #1 Score: 99%
November
Oradell PD #1 Score: 94%
September
Mount Olive PD #1 Score: 99%
Glen Rock PD #1 Score: 97%
East Windsor PD Top 5 scores
including 100% and 99%
Mendham Twp #1 Score: 94%