FAIRFIELD, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tim Zyla, former chief and member of the Fairfield, NJ Fire Department and a current member of the West Caldwell Fire Department, is facing the fight of his life. Tim, his wife, Ann Marie, and their three children have resided in Fairfield, NJ for the past 28 years. Tim suffers with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), a genetic, life-threatening disease that causes the kidneys to lose function over time, and he is now forced to secure a donor kidney in the next few months -- or deal with the deadly consequences.
Unfortunately, Ann Marie, who is a donor match and was standing by as his donor, experienced her own life-threatening illness last month: Bilateral vertebral artery dissection (VAD) that required hospitalization and specialized care to avoid a stroke or heart attack and eliminated her as a donor. Ann Marie had been undergoing extensive testing and psychological counseling to prepare for the kidney donation that would have saved her husband’s life. Now, she and her family are grappling with an unexpected and crushing blow that has left them in a desperate situation.
“The waiting time for a kidney donor match is five years – and we just don’t have the luxury of time,” says Ann Marie. “Tim’s numbers are at dangerous levels and we are panicking. I thought I could serve as his lifesaver, but my health condition simply rules out that possibility.”
Other potential relative-donors are also ineligible. Tim’s son, Brandon, suffers from the same condition as his father and will eventually require a kidney donation from his siblings. Because of their shared genetics, Tim’s siblings have also been ruled out as possible donors.
Joseph Carabello, a family friend, says, “We hope and pray that this plea and social media campaign will reach people who may be willing to see if they are a match or know someone who can step forward. You or someone you know could save Tim’s life.”
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