Austin Pavarini

Gregory Mazzoni Needs A LIVING Kidney DONOR

Gregory is my grandfather and for as long as I can remember, I've always called him "Papa." I don't remember when the name started but it's stuck until this day. My earliest memory with Papa was at an amusement park just off of the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey. Every year when I was younger, my family would take a trip down there for a week and my favorite part by far was going on the log flume ride at the far end of one of the parks. At the time, my brother and I were going through a Pirates of the Caribbean phase, so Papa would ride with us in the log flume and speak in a pirate voice the entire time to simulate the movie. What I remember the most is laughing hysterically every single time as if it were the first time he ever did it. It never got old and I still laugh about it to this day, almost two decades later. That was one of the most special memories of my childhood because no matter how many times my brother and I would get off the ride and say, "again!" Papa would take us one more time. For as long as I can remember, Papa loved and continues to love us wholeheartedly and does anything he can to make us happy.

The biggest difference I've noticed in Papa's life with kidney failure is what he can and cannot eat. Being Italian, this is tough because we all love food. There are many things that the body can't filter without proper kidney function, tomatoes being one of them which crosses off a lot of diets. Papa also told me how he needs to get bloodwork done every single week to track his health which is something I'm sure is difficult to get comfortable with.

A kidney transplant would not only let Papa have the peace of mind to not worry about what he eats, but it will give him more time. Time is interesting because while it's intangible, it is arguably the most valuable resource we have and what everyone seems to want more of for one reason or another. A transplant would grant Papa the rare opportunity to have his time back so that he could live his life more comfortable and spend time doing the things he loves with the people he loves.

The process of getting a kidney transplant is a much more difficult road than it may seem. Often times, a person will need multiple tests done at different dates for the chance to get on a waiting list. Once on the waiting list, the wait time could be anywhere from 4 to 8 years which, in some cases, is too long to wait.

If you're reading this, I know it would mean the world to Papa as well as me and my family to share this story so that we can help make a difference for our families and others alike.

Thank you!

Previous Next