Kidney disease survivor Sal DeAngelis working with National Kidney Foundation
Stephen Finn
The Sun
The Philadelphia Phillies had a great year in 2008. They made it to the World Series and defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in four out of five games. On the day of the World Series Celebration Parade, the entire city celebrated with the team.
Cinnaminson resident and director of operations and security for the Phillies, Sal DeAngelis, had one of the best seats in the house as part of the team’s float. It was during these celebrations that things took a sudden turn for him. Seemingly out of nowhere, he began to experience early symptoms of kidney disease.
“It was a high of my life and career with the Phillies and also a moment of ‘oh my God, what is happening?’ Now I’m at an all-time low,” said DeAngelis.
The next week, he decided to see a doctor. He was 31 at the time and had never experienced any issues with his kidneys before.
“You can have no pain and no symptoms and still have kidney disease,” said DeAngelis.
After an ultrasound it was discovered his right kidney had become cystic. Cysts are round pouches of fluid that can form in or on the kidneys. They are the most common growth found in a kidney and most are benign.
DeAngelis’ doctor informed him of this and left the decision up to him whether he wanted to act or not. He had a lot to consider. Kidney disease is rarely found in men under 45 and risks can increase with age. Although in DeAngelis’ case there was a good chance the cysts were benign, the fact remained that kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers diagnosed in America and claims thousands of lives each year.
Believing it was not worth the risk no matter what, DeAngelis decided to act. Within the same year he was diagnosed, he opted to have the kidney removed at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
Following his surgery, DeAngelis returned to his doctors for regular checkups to keep an eye on things. By 2013 he had been symptom free for five years and no longer needed regular checks. As much of a relief as this was for DeAngelis he felt he wasn’t quite done with kidney disease and decided it was time to give back and help others who might be going through what he did.
In 2014, he attended the National Kidney Foundation’s annual Kidney Walk. Before the walk, he reached out to family, friends and coworkers to raise money for the foundation. The response was better than he could have imagined, and in little time he had raised thousands of dollars.
At the walk, DeAngelis met a member of the National Kidney Foundation and they discussed how he could get more involved. From there, he was nominated and elected to the local board of advisors, where he remains an active member. He has continued raising money for the foundation through his work with the NKF Konica Minolta Golf Classic tournament. He serves as co-chair for the fundraising event and has provided items to be sold at their silent auction.
Through his work with the foundation, DeAngelis hopes to foster support and awareness for those touched by kidney disease.
“I would tell people, even if they don’t know, get checked out,” he said. “Listen to your doctors, listen to your body, learn how to take care of yourself.”
According to National Kidney Foundation Executive Director Michelle Toy, they welcome the support they have received through the efforts of people like DeAngelis.
“It has been a great partnership,” said Toy.
“The foundation acts as a lifeline for people affected by kidney disease,” said Toy. “It is one of the largest public health issues today affecting around 30 million people.”
The Kidney Walk is an annual event starting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This year the foundation’s goal was to raise $426,500, but, according to Toy, they already surpassed this amount days ahead of the walk on Oct. 14, and funding currently stands at $427,950.
Toy believes this walk creates a community of support for people who may be suffering from kidney disease.
“Depending on where they are in their journey, they might feel alone. When they come to the walk, they know they aren’t,” said Toy.
To find out more about the walk and how you can support the National Kidney Foundation, visit kidney.org.
