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A request from swimmer Ben Van Dyk

My name is Ben Van Dyk, a former masters swimmer, writing with an unusual request. I stopped swimming 13 years ago, at 50,  to launch a business. I swam with some of the venerable ‘old’ names such as Dan Rogacki, Homer Lane, Tom Lyndon, Tracy Grilli, Susan Livingston and many others.  3 years go I was hoping to resuscitate my swimming career but was unable to regain even a fraction of my former skills. I soon learned this was due to a chronic illness called Polycystic Kidney Disease. I am now facing the need for a
transplant as my kidney will be failing in about 1 to 1-1/2 years.

Currently, I am seeking a person willing to be a donor.

Could you place a notice in the NEM News asking if anyone is willing to be a donor? This is an enormous request but I have little choice but to network in every direction. Without a kidney, my life expectancy will be
abbreviated, even with dialysis. With one I can expect a potential of another 30 years.

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Ben Van Dyk

vandykassoc@comcast.net

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