Creative, witty, and dedicated, Chelsea resident Laura Solimene has been giving her time and talents to support the community engagement efforts of the West 400 Block Association. Such volunteerism certainly merits a little special recognition, perhaps even a gesture of appreciation. Flowers are always nice—but what if she’s allergic? It’s got to be something that matches her needs…say, perhaps…one of your kidneys? Hey, in certain circumstances, you’ve got to think big—and this is one of those times. Which brings us to the below message, reproduced from an August 9 email from the West 400 Block Association. Originally sent to its membership, we’re told it’s suitable for public consumption. So please read, share, and consider looking into seeing if this epic way to thank Laura is right for you.—Scott Siffler

On August 9, 2023, The West 400 Block Association Wrote:

Hi!  We are sending out this message because a special member of our Block Association family could really use our help. Many of you know Laura Solimene personally, and those who don’t certainly know her as the sender of our wonderful weekly newsletters and the creator/organizer of all our special events. Laura has lived in Chelsea for twenty years, and ever since she (and her Beagle Churchill) moved to West 22nd Street several years ago she has become invaluable to all of us here as both a neighbor and a creative leader.

Laura has Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), an inherited disease that will soon bring about the necessity of a kidney transplant. Her family is not an available resource for a transplant, as both of her sisters also have PKD. The good news is that we are all born with two kidneys, but need only one of them. This means we each have an amazing gift—a spare we can share!  Not all of us, of course would qualify to be a donor, but those who cannot donate can be enormously helpful by spreading the word to those we know. The more people we reach, the better the chance for finding a donor.

We have attached here a link to Laura’s site with the National Kidney Registry, where you can learn more about what is involved. We found this information enlightening and inspiring!

Please share this information with those you know. We can all be a part of making this happen!

Thanks so much!

West 400 Block Association

Laura’s National Kidney Registry link (click on it to view): https://www.nkr.org/AVV723

—END—

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