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Christopher Ficara , Warren , was named to Forbes “ America ’ s Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors ” list in September 2021 . Ficara is a wealth advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and partner in Labiak , Ficara and Associates in Rancho Santa Fe , Calif .
Justin Grant , Muir , senior vice president of capital markets for MCT Trading , was recognized in San Diego Metropolitan Magazine ’ s annual “ 40 under 40 ” list .
Chi Hong , Marshall , received an Emmy Award , Outstanding Interactive Media , Commercial and Motion & Title Design , for his work on Calls , available on Apple TV +.
Phillip Wang , Revelle , founding member of the filmmaking group Wong Fu Productions , co-wrote Rise : A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now .
THE BOND OF FRIENDSHIP
ALUMNAE SUSAN BALCH ’ 87 and AUDREY NATAL ’ 89 cannot recall a moment when they weren ’ t friends . They have been nearly inseparable since meeting as students at UC San Diego . But their friendship is more than shared memories and experiences : their friendship is bound by blood .
Shortly after college , Susan was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease ( PKD ), a hereditary disease that causes the kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time . She had no health issues until 2018 , when her doctor said her kidney function was so poor that it was time to consider a kidney donation . “ He told me that people like me will either go on dialysis , which adversely affects your overall health , or die while waiting for a donor kidney ,” says Susan . “ He encouraged me to reach out to friends and family for a living donor . To ask someone for their kidney … it ’ s just awful . It was the hardest thing I ever had to do .”
Although they were separated by hundreds of miles , the two friends and their husbands , Jeff Balch and Bob Natal , regularly kept in touch . After hearing the news , Audrey knew she had to get tested as a potential donor .
“ I remember the conversation when she told me that her doctor had told her it was time to look for a donor ,” says Audrey . “ She ’ s like a sister to me , and I thought , I have to try .” Multiple friends and family answered Susan ’ s call to be tested to see if they were a match , but only one passed : Audrey .
After qualifying for the first round of tests , Audrey moved on through the process to meet with more doctors . “ While explaining the entire process to you , they keep telling you that you can back out and change your mind at any time , even when you ’ re in the operating room ,” she says . “ I never doubted my decision — I was going to do this for my friend .”
On the day of the transplant , in February 2020 , they were joined by UC San Diego alumnae , Erika Glennon ’ 87 and Terry Dosenberry ’ 89 at Scripps Green in La Jolla , who had made the trip to support the twosome . Susan says , “ I had my girlfriends with me and we just laughed and held each other . The atmosphere was relaxed and I wasn ’ t scared .”
Three weeks later , San Diego hospitals shut down due to the growing threat of the pandemic . “ The stars aligned for this donation to occur when it did ,” says Susan .
Today , Susan , a retired middle school teacher , is healthy once again . She takes daily walks with her dog on Washington ’ s Bainbridge Island , and practices yoga . Audrey , an office manager at a pediatric therapy clinic in Texas , says her life hasn ’ t changed much since the donation , although she does need to drink more water and can ’ t participate in contact sports . “ I was never into martial arts anyway ,” she laughs .
Their bond of friendship is stronger than ever before . “ Whether she likes it or not , we ’ re family now ,” says Susan . “ I will always have a part of her , and for that , I will be forever grateful .” — Nilou Shahbandi ’ 23
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