Local dentists offer to help kidney transplant patient
Following a story in the Tribune-Review on Monday, a number of dentists have come forward to offer kidney transplant patient, Alan Checca.
Mr Checca needs to have around $10,000 worth of dental treatment in order to be passed fit to have a kidney transplant operation. Mr Checca has already had two transplants and now needs a third but doctors are not willing to operate on him in his current state because they fear that his gum disease may cause his body to reject the donor organ. The anti-rejection drugs have caused Mr Checca to suffer from gum erosion.
Since Mr Checca’s story came out in the media, at least four dentists have offered to treat him free of charge. Dr Cynthia Labriola, a dentist from Bloomfield, said that the story had moved her and she couldn’t believe such a situation had occurred in modern-day America. Dr Timothy Chips has experience in working with pre-transplant patients and understood Mr Checca’s difficult situation. Dr Chips works in association with Donated Dental Services, a charitable organisation which caters for patients who cannot afford dental care.
Two other dentists have also come forward to help Mr Checca; Dr Henry Miller, who specialises in anaesthesia and implant and reconstructive dentistry and Dr Barry Bartusiak have also offered their services.
Just two days ago, Alan Checca’s future was looking bleak, as he struggled to find a way to raise $10,000 for potentially life-saving dental treatment that would enable him to undergo a kidney transplant operation. Now, after an overwhelming response to the newspaper article on Monday, many dentists are willing to help and it looks like Mr Checca will get the treatment he so desperately needs.
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