One day while pursing online, Kevin Rodrigo came upon a story about Tom Minardi–a Franklin Lakes, N.J., resident in end stage renal disease and need of a living kidney transplant donor.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Rodrigo’s wife, Valerie Jahn, who was diagnosed with Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)—a rare, progressive lung disease that primarily affects women in their 20s to 40s—owns barre3, an exercise studio in Franklin Lakes that blends strength training, cardio, and mindfulness to support whole‑body wellness. Rodrigo serves as the studio’s public relations director.
The married duo, who had hosted events for LAM at barre3, both wanted to do something special for Minardi. They came up with Move for Tom + Share Hope — a community barre3 class supporting him while raising awareness/education and funds for chronic kidney disease/donation — took place today at noon.
“We saw an article about Tom, and wanted to do something nice for him,” Rodrigo said. “We found the right contact info for him, and wanted to help raise awareness and some money for the cause.”
Before the event, Rodrigo said that they have already received the donation entry fee of $20.00 from 17 people, and hope for more before the charitable effort begins, and well after that. It turns out that event raised a total of $7,150.00.
“It’s nice to see people donating to the cause,” Rodrigo happily said.
Meanwhile, Minardi–a baker and longtime owner of the family business, Mama Minardi Cookies & Biscotti since 1927– hopes that events like Move for Tom + Share Hope breeds hope for a kidney donor to step forward to help him get back to a healthy life.
Plus, the selfless work his kidney advocate, Donna Tissot, continues to conduct for him and other people like him in search of a living kidney donor.
“It’s like I’m in prison here every night, 10 to 11 hours,” Minardi, who started to experience kidney decline out of nowhere, said of receiving dialysis. “I don’t sleep well. I take a lot of medications for blood pressure. They keep me up. It wears me down.”
After the doctors diagnosed Minardi with kidney disease in 2018, and a donor backed out due the COVID pandemic not too long after that, he received a kidney transplant in 2020. But the need for a new one arose four and half years later, he noted.
However, the 65-year-old said he still participates in the family cookie business, doing as much as possible, and is not ready to give up without a valiant fight.
“I’m hoping people become aware,” he said of kidney donation education. “The more exposure, the better. You can live with just one kidney. I’m waiting for that special phone call.”
If you like to donate money to the event, please contact 201.766.6465.
Minardi is listed for a transplant at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, N.J, and you can call 551.996.1054 to help.
If you or someone you know is interested in being evaluated as a living donor, you can visit: http://hmh.donorscreen.org/register/now (Please indicate that you’re a prospective donor for Thomas Minardi.)
— Jerry Del Priore
Photos: Kevin Rodrigo.
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