Receiving the Gift of Life - County Line Magazine

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“Before my diagnosis, organ transplants were something I had never even thought about,” said Kirk. “After receiving the diagnosis of PSC, it became obvious that someday my life would be dependent on receiving a transplant.” Kirk’s condition worsened when he became jaundiced from the excessive amount of bile in his bloodstream caused by the blockage of his bile ducts in his liver. After an unsuccessful stent procedure that was supposed to open up his bile ducts and alleviate his itching, he developed severe pancreatitis and was hospitalized at Emory University Hospital for 12 days. During this hospitalization, the Emory Transplant Center team of doctors suspected that Kirk had also developed Bile Duct Cancer. After recovering from the pancreatitis, Kirk continued to go through stent replacements every 6 weeks. During these procedures, brushings were taken to check for malignant cells in the bile ducts. In February 2010, Kirk was told that the most recent brushings confirmed that cancerous cells were in his bile ducts and that he would need to undergo six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation to contain the cancer. Upon successfully completing this therapy, Kirk would then be put on the liver transplant list and hopefully transplanted within two to three months. Kirk at the 2013 “Swing Easy, Hit Hard” golf tournament. Kirk began his first day of chemo and radiation on March 11, 2010. Six weeks later, he took his last infusion on April 22 nd . After several more tests, Kirk was finally put on the transplant list with UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) on May 15 th . Although Kirk was battling cancer in his bile ducts, his overall health was remarkably good. This meant that although he was on the transplant list, he was very low on the list because organs are given out based on the severity of sickness. Two days later on May 17 th —a day before his 37 th birthday, Kirk received an exception based on his cancer diagnosis and was moved to the top of the list. At 11pm on May 19 th , the phone rang at the Franz’s, and Kirk heard the voice from the Emory Transplant Center asking him if he could get to the hospital within the next few hours to begin his liver transplant. “Shannon and I were stunned, scared and ecstatic all at the same time. We were so thankful for God’s graceful timeliness in getting ‘the Call.’ Having to wait less than a week from being listed was a true blessing,” said Kirk. Following the transplant surgery, Kirk stayed at Emory University Hospital for a week. The day after he went home, he was told by his team of doctors that the pathology on the remaining bile duct in his pancreas showed that he had high grade dysplasia. The cells in his remaining bile duct were not cancerous yet, but would be if left untreated. Just nine short days after receiving his liver transplant, Kirk underwent a complicated surgical procedure called a “Whipple” that removed the remaining bile duct, part of his pancreas, and a third of his stomach. Two major surgeries within nine days of each other were debilitating for Kirk, and he began the long process of healing and regaining his strength. After six months recuperating, Kirk returned to work and resumed activities with his family and friends. As Kirk got back to his normal routine of work and family, he felt called to find a way to “give back” to others who would require an organ transplant. “I had no idea how often people in the Atlanta area were receiving organ transplants. There are several each week.” In 2012, with the help of his family and friends, Kirk established an annual charity golf tournament and the Swing Easy Hit Hard Foundation, a registered 501 (c) (3) fundraising organization whose mission is to increase organ donation awareness and 18 CountyLine | August 2013 | www.CountyLineMagazine.net
provide support for patients and families affected by organ donation and transplantation. “I love to golf and always enjoy playing in charity golf tournaments. Now I had a great reason to organize a tournament of my own to support a worthy cause that is very close to me,” said Kirk. This year, the 4 th annual “Swing Easy, Hit Hard” golf tournament was held at the Windermere Golf Club in April, which is also National Donate Life month. Before the golfers started playing at the tournament, Kirk shared this message with them: “I am so grateful for the love and support I have received from God, family and friends. One of my personal reminders on the golf course and in life is to ‘Swing Easy, but Hit Hard.’ On the golf course, it’s a reminder to relax, trust my swing and let the club do the work. In life, it’s a reminder that when things get tough, we need to take a deep breath and have faith in God, family and friends to help get us through. We don’t have to face adversity by ourselves. I invite you to join me in ‘Swinging Easy’ while still ‘Hitting it Hard’….on and off the golf course!” The 2013 tournament raised $5,000, which the Foundation donated to the patient and family support programs of the Emory Transplant Center and the Georgia Transplant Foundation. One of the highlights of this year’s event was at the post-tournament banquet where several organ transplant recipients, who had played in the tournament, received a standing ovation by the other golfers. “Our goal for the golf tournament is to increase participation and the support we can give to the organ transplant community. You never know…..one day, you might be the one that needs an organ transplant to live,” Kirk said. Kirk presents the checks from the 2013 “Swing Easy, Hit Hard” golf tournament. Left to right: Dr. James Spivey, Kevin Clark (Emory Transplant Clinic), Kirk Franz, Cheryl Belair, Pat Rotchford (Georgia Transplant Clinic) Over the last 25 years, the number of liver transplants in the United States has tripled. Since 1988, 119,688 liver transplant surgeries have been performed. Today, 15,712 people are on the list, waiting for “the Call” to let them know that they will receive a life-saving organ transplant. To look at Kirk, you would never know that three years ago he was facing a future of liver failure. Today, Kirk and Shannon, along with their daughters Kali (13), Maddie (10) and Hailey (9), look forward to a bright future together. “We are so blessed and thankful to have a family and an extended family of friends and neighbors that helped us through a time when we needed help the most,” said Kirk. “But I am most thankful to my Donor and his family. Their selfless decision to be an organ donor gave me the greatest gift I’ve ever received: the Gift of Life.” To learn more about being an organ donor, visit www.DonateLifeGeorgia.org. To learn more about the Swing Easy Hit Hard Foundation, visit www.SwingEasyHitHard.org. 19 CountyLine |August 2013
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