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Raising Awareness
Michael Sisskind,
second from left, with
Kidney Ball advances programs.
his family
RuthanBrodsky I Contributing Writer
A
t age 20, Michael Sisskind's kid-
neys began to deteriorate because
of polycystic kidney disease. He
came within two weeks of going on dialysis
because of this inherited kidney disorder that
causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kid-
neys, impairing their function.
Fortunately, in 1992, his wife, Susan, was
able to donate a kidney to him.
Sisskind joined the board of the
National Kidney Foundation of Michigan
(NKFM) when his nephrologist, Dr.
Robert Provenzano, chief of Nephrology,
Hypertension & Transplantation at St. John
Hospital and Medical Center, served as the
organization's president.
"This took place nine years ago and I
served four years:' says Sisskind of West
Bloomfield, a member of the group that
helped create the Kidney Ball, an annual fun-
draising gala for the organization that takes
place this year on Saturday, Dec. 5, at the
Motor City Casino Hotel.
"My goal was to help NKFM increase its
efforts to educate the public about kidney
disease and to work with Detroit's inner city
population so they have a better understand-
ing about how they can prevent kidney dis-
ease Sisskind says.
The transplanted kidney functioned for
22 years. In May of 2014, Sisskind started
peritoneal dialysis, which helps remove waste
products from his blood when kidneys can't
do their job.
"I use a machine at home for about 9-10
hours overnight while sleeping; he explains.
"This type of dialysis is not as good as hav-
ing a real kidney, but it allows me to have
an active lifestyle, to continue working in
commercial real estate and to support the
National Kidney Foundation of
Michigan. I plan to celebrate the
11th Kidney Ball this year with fam-
ily and friends:"
EDUCATING THE PUBLIC
"More than 900,000 people in
Michigan have chronic kidney dis-
ease and most of them don't even
know it:' says Dr. Joel Topf, chair of
the NKFM and its Scientific Advisory Board
and a nephrologist at St. John Providence.
"Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney fail-
ure in the U.S. As a result of the rise in obe-
sity, hypertension and diabetes in Michigan
in the 1980s and 1990s, the number of those
with chronic kidney disease exploded:"
He says the mission of the NKFM is to
prevent kidney disease and improve the qual-
ity of life for those living with it by providing
programs and services.
"We worked with fraternities and sororities
and other community organizations to get
the word out about preventing kidney dis-
ease, treating kidney disease and applying for
kidney transplants.
"We also created programs such
as the Peer Mentor program, in
which an individual with kidney
disease helps motivate others and
acts as a role model of how to live
a full life with kidney disease. As a
result, the number of new patients
has decreased in the last four years:"
Carolyn
This is the fourth year Carolyn
Normandin
Normandin, manager of corporate relations
at the GM Foundation, has served on the
Kidney Ball executive committee.
"Diabetes results in more than 40 percent
of all kidney failure cases and, as a type 1 dia-
betic, I understand that it's my job to protect
my kidneys, my heart and my eyes:' she says.
"But I also know many people whose lives are
impacted by living with kidney disease, and I
want to improve the quality of their lives.
"The Kidney Ball has raised more than $5
million since 2005 and has been called the
most fun black-tie event in Metro Detroit,"
Normandin says. "I've also heard that many
who attend the event manage to get a good
amount of their holiday shopping done
because we have a kid's room filled with toys
for silent auction:" *
The formal event will be Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Motor
City Casino HoteL Tickets are 5250 and include cock-
tails, dinner, a dessert reception, auctions and music
by 50 Amp Fuse. For tickets, contact Lisa Schutz Jelic
at (734) 222-9800 or email schutz@nkfm.org , or visit
www.nkfm.org.
T zish4
.
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