By Deb Silverthorn

In this season of gift-giving, Linda Blasnik is relishing the gift of life from Dr. Michelle Kravitz, who on Sept. 9 donated a kidney to Blasnik. The two women have been friends for nearly two decades and were found to be a perfect match of blood and tissue type.

“You can’t imagine how life-changing this is,” said Blasnik, “and I can never have the words to express how I feel. What Michelle did is the most unselfish act. I’m so grateful.”

Last January, Kravitz participated in a swabbing event at the Aaron Family JCC to support six community members in need of kidney transplants. More than 100 prospective donors swabbed, hoping to match Blasnik, Ellen Bock, Brian Goldenberg, Michael Graubard, Tracey Messerly or Susanne Rosenhouse; transplants have now succeeded for Blasnik and Rosenhouse.

“My husband and I had swabbed as prospective bone marrow donors but never matched,” said Kravitz. “Here was an opportunity to help someone I know and care about.

“I’m glad I was (a match) and that it’s gone so well,” she added. “I was walking miles again in a couple of weeks, then swimming and riding the Peloton and I feel great.”

Blasnik’s medical journey began with a phone call in November 2021. Her kidneys were deteriorating; she would likely need dialysis and a new kidney at some point.

Her daughters, Julie and Sarah, were not a match and her brother, Jeff Lowengrub, also has kidney issues. Blasnik’s husband, Steve, was a promising match but was eventually rejected by the transplant medical team. Blasnik was losing weight and sleeping much of the day.

Resigned to going public, last November, Blasnik and her husband sent an email to friends and family sharing her condition and links to information about kidney donation. They then contacted Renewal to work with them on a Dallas community swabbing event.

On July 25, Blasnik was informed only that there was a match and the surgery date was set. A week later, she got and accepted an invitation from Kravitz for the women and their husbands to celebrate Blasnik’s birthday.

“A dinner between us at Aderet wasn’t unusual and I was excited to be celebrating,” said Blasnik. “After we sat down Michelle asked, ‘So what are you doing Sept. 9?’ It was weird because we hadn’t told anyone outside of our family about the transplant.

“I asked, ‘How do you know?’ and she replied, ‘Because I’m your donor,’” Blasnik said. “We broke into tears.”

The morning of Sept. 9, both women and their husbands and daughters arrived at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the surgeries progressed without complications. Blasnik says she returned home and cooked dinner “just 83 hours after I arrived at the hospital”; Kravitz went home after just an overnight stay.

After nine weeks of respite, Blasnik returned to work at the Tycher Library at the J. Kravitz, a pediatrician with Forest Lane Pediatrics, felt fine just a week after surgery, but because she was advised not to lift anything over 5 pounds for six weeks, she waited until then to return to work.

For Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky of Congregation Shaare Tefilla, where both the Blasnik and Kravitz families have been longtime members, the experiences all have shared over the last few months have been tremendous.

“The kvelling that has happened in these months is extraordinary,” he said. “Linda and Michelle are two of the kindest, wisest and all-around special people, each with such caring and giving presence. It’s special to have this occur between them.

“This speaks to the power of community and the beauty and respect of life. Michelle is just one who got tested and matched,” continued Rackovsky, “and we hope others will in time find a match for the gift they wish to share.”

Rabbi Josh Sturm, Renewal’s director of outreach, credits the community for organizing the event and many people who were devoted to its success. Both Blasnik and Kravitz appreciated the support of Renewal throughout the process. This included the presence of Rabbi Moshe Gewirtz, Renewal’s donor coordinator, who came to Dallas and sat with the families during the surgeries and has continued to follow up with them.

Dallas Jewish community member Karen Schlosberg, after learning of Renewal from Rosenhouse, arranged the event. Schlosberg feels relief and grace with each successful transplant and hope for the others. She said, regarding matches for those still waiting, “I have complete faith it will happen.”

During Sukkot, Blasnik offered a reading from Kohelet, the Book of Ecclesiastes, in which she pronounced that “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

“Everything beautiful,” says the grateful kidney recipient, “is exactly what Michelle is. She was before the transplant and she forever will be.”

To contact Renewal as a prospective donor or recipient in need, visit Renewal.org.