Kidney Transplant Patient Finds Donor at Chabad

Chabad Lubavich | Sara Spielman


Instead of long wait, patient meets donor at Chabad Shabbos table.
Rita Benisti, in her fifties, anticipated a long wait ahead when she prepared to get her name onto several lists for a kidney match. It's been two years since the mother of three was air-ambulanced from Quebec Province, Canada, where she lives, for treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Finally stabilized enough to make her eligible for a transplant, she knew the wait could be as long as three years.

But it was Rita’s turn for a Chanukah miracle, and it came early this year. She hadn’t even put her name on the lists when she met Adina at Chabad of Rochester. Pursuing a medical training program at Mayo Clinic, Adina (who prefers to remain anonymous), came to Chabad for Shabbat dinner. As always, Chanie Greene, the Chabad director with her husband Rabbi Dovid, made the introductions.

During her two years in treatment, Rita became a regular at Chabad of Rochester. "My family members and an army of nurses from Montreal all took turns to come stay with me throughout my medical adventure here," the businesswoman shared. "When I started feeling a bit better, I started going out on Shabbat and holidays, to attend services at the Chabad House. And every time I would attend services, I would get to meet Jews in town.”
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www.organdonor.gov | www.donatelife.