A heartwarming moment occurred at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia as an organ donor and recipient met for the first time before throwing out the first pitch at the Phillies game. Joe DeMayo, from Northeast Philadelphia, expressed his gratitude, stating that the transplant surgery had changed everything for him. MaryBeth Foster, from Crofton, Maryland, revealed that she willingly underwent the surgery to remove her kidney due to nutcracker syndrome, a rare vein compression disorder. Foster’s decision gave DeMayo a second chance at life after he had previously suffered from acute kidney injury.
Both individuals expressed their amazement at the life-saving power of organ donation, with DeMayo cherishing the simple pleasure of playing with his son in the backyard. Meeting at the Phillies game on April 11, which coincided with National Living Donor Day, Foster and DeMayo threw the first pitch together. Their story serves as an inspiration for others to become living organ donors and save lives. David Galvenski, co-founder of the Living Liver Foundation and an organ recipient himself, emphasized the significance of living organ donation, as it not only saves a life but also frees up another organ to save someone else in need.
