Featured Volunteer of the Month

     Cory Frisch is a 36 year old dynamo who has been helping the Nebraska Kidney Association for nine years.  Not only is he a good will ambassador, but he is the best salesman in the history of the NKA’s Big Red Raffle!

    As a sophomore in high school, Cory received a kidney transplant due to chronic kidney disease (CKD).  While neither of his parents have a history of the disease, three of the four Frisch children have CKD.  The transplant lasted 18 years.

     “I knew it wouldn’t last forever.”  he states.  “The kidney came over Labor Day weekend in 1988, and of course they won’t tell me for sure, but I always figured it was someone who died in some kind of accident.”

     Cory now goes to dialysis three days a week.  The center is 45 minutes away, so he leaves bright and early at 4:30 a.m., is hooked to the machine by 6:30 and home by noon or so.  He doesn’t rush home to sit around.  He loves to bowl, though he admits he isn’t very good.  He is an avid Husker fan and collector of Husker memorabilia.  “I just redid my bathroom and made everything Husker-themed.”  He is active in the community of Creighton, Nebraska as President of the Booster Club, a member of the Knights of Columbus and one month out of the year he sells more raffle tickets than anyone else across the state.

     Creighton has been home to Cory his whole life and he loves small-town living.  “The whole community is very supportive.  Everyone knows everyone and is very close.  If you have needs, those needs are taken care of.  The community has hosted several benefits for my expenses.  Creighton is a great place and the people are eager to help out.”

     Cory has been on the transplant list since Aug 4, 2006.  He is certain that his next transplant will be better than the first.  “The advances in medicine and technology will make the next one so much easier.  Last time I was a sophomore in high school and they told me I had to keep away from everyone for three months before surgery.  I wanted to stay with my class, so teachers would come over to the house to make sure I didn’t fall behind.  Now it isn’t like that, the isolation period is only 10 days.”  Waiting for a transplant does not discourage him, “I know there is another one (kidney) out there for me.  It is going to come!” 

     Having a positive attitude makes it difficult for Cory to think of the “worst” part of having kidney disease.  “Everyone usually says dialysis is the worst part, but I don’t take it as that.  I just know that there are others out there worse off than me.  I get to live a normal life like everyone else; I just have to take time out of my life to go to dialysis.  It is something I have to deal with.  I count my blessings:  yes, I have health problems, but there are people dying of cancer, and other diseases with no cures.” 

     Cory considers being the Big Red Raffle top seller to be one of his greatest accomplishments.  Last March he made a trip to Mahoney State Park to receive an award from the Nebraska Kidney Association for his efforts.  “This year I sold $1,100 in tickets and next year I am going to beat that.  Selling tickets is something I take to heart.  I feel that with my condition, it is my duty to do this as a patient, my duty as a person with kidney disease and it is my gift to the Nebraska Kidney Association.”

     Cory closes with this piece of advice, “Live each day to its fullest, don’t get down on yourself, be happy.  Some people are diagnosed and say, ‘I have this disease, I don’t want this disease, I don’t want to do dialysis’.  That’s the worst thing you can do.  Just do the best you can.  There will always be bad days, but you have to believe the next one is going to be better!”

 

Creighton, Nebraska

Cory Frisch

Nebraska Kidney Association