Holliston October 2016

Page 2 Local Town Pages www.hollistontownnews.com October 2016
DONOR
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enthusiastically on Mr. Lack’s
behalf. “His reputation precedes
him, and he’s built the program
to the masterpiece level,” she
said. Lack, who was named Massachusetts
Art Education Association
Educator of the Year
in 2006, has even helped raised
money for other faculty members
who faced health problems. “He
so deserves this,” says Caccavele,
of the Medway resident and Holliston
teacher since 1998.
Lack will need a kidney soon.
“I’m right on the cusp. I’m
able to function right now,” says
Lack.
Doug’s journey began with
flu-like and arthritic symptoms,
which later turned into trouble
breathing and a 3-month hospitalized
skirt with death in 1992.
Doctors eventually arrived at
a diagnosis of Granulomatosis
with polyaniitis, a rare disorder
that causes inflammation of the
blood vessels in Lack’s nose, sinuses,
throat, lungs and kidneys.
Once out of the hospital, Lack
changed his career course to
teaching.
“I decided I needed to do
something more important,” says
Lack. “I felt like I had a second
chance, a new lease on life.” Lack
still had to undergo chemotherapy
and steroid treatment, the
latter of which caused Avascular
Necrosis and resulted in his hips
needing to be replaced. Teaching,
however, has “been the most
rewarding thing I’ve ever done,”
he says. “I feel like Holliston is really
my home town.”
The town has come to his
aid more than once, and, significantly,
one man, Carl Damigella,
stepped up because, he, too, was
once in Doug Lack’s position.
Carl, who ran C&R Hot Dogs
at the time, ran a Dogs for Doug
campaign, that, combined with
donations from Fiske’s and the
Holliston Lions Club, amounted
to a fund of about $1,000 to help
Lack with expenses, a fund Doug
is still is grateful to have if he
finds a donor.
“The stars have to align for it
to happen,” says Damigella, who
received a donation of a kidney
from a living donor back in 2006.
“I had an altruistic donor,”
says Damigella, a diabetic whose
own need had been publicized
by Holliston writer Mary Greendale.
“He was a firefighter on
the Ashland Fire Department,
and he just stepped forward and
wanted to give me one of his kidneys
… I did not meet him until
after the surgery was done.” According
to core.org, over 6,000
are living donors each year, one
in four of whom are not biologically
related to the recipient.
Carl’s two children were both
considered, but could not donate.
Before the transplant, Damigella
was living with dialysis
treatment, something Lack has
not had to endure, yet.
“It is very traumatic, not the
most comfortable thing in the
world,” says Damigella. “I had to
do it three times a week, even on
vacation. There were some days I
felt, ‘I’m not going today.’”
Damigella, too, explains that
he feels he has a “second chance
at life. I’ve had a kidney for 10
years, and everything (knocks
wood) has been excellent,” says
Damigella. He hopes Doug Lack
will have that same opportunity.
Core.org explains that only a
few illnesses would prevent someone
from being a living donor.
If you are interested in being
tested as a donor for Doug Lack,
visit www.bidmc.org/transplant.
Access the online donor screening
tool in the blue box about ¾
down on the main page. If you
do not have access to a computer,
you can call Tracy Brann
Darling, RN, BSN, CCTC at the
BIDMC Transplant Institute,
110 Francis Street, 7th Floor,
Boston, MA 02215. She can be
reached at (617) 632-9851.
For questions and answers
regarding being a LIVING
DONOR, visit http://www.
americantransplantfoundation.
org/…/five-questio…/
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October Children’s Programs at
Holliston Public Library
Tales and Tunes for Tots ages
1.5-5, Wednesdays 10:15 am –
10:45 a.m.
Enjoy themed stories and
songs with Ms. Tracy
Library playgroup: ages 0-5,
Fridays 10:15 a.m.
Trying to meet people in
town? Tired of being stuck in
your own house? Come to the
library to connect with other
young families. Grown-ups can
chat & connect with other parents
& caregivers while supervising
their children’s play. Toys and
coffee provided by the library!
Book Clubs, One Thursday
per month 4-4:45 p.m.
Participate in discussion while
having a snack thematically tied
to the book. Engage in an activity
that further connects to the
title. See Children’s Desk for details.
Lego Club ages 5 and up
Thursday October 6th and
Tuesday, October 18th 4-5 p.m.
Let your imagination be your
guide as you build your creations
with Legos provided by the library.
Creations will be put on
display in the Children’s Room
for the month.
Pajama storytime all ages,
Tuesday October 4th 6:30 p.m.
Put on your pajamas and listen
to stories and sing songs!
Tinker Time ages 4 and up,
Tuesday October 11th 4-5 p.m.
Test, tinker and play with
amazing tech toys like Snap Circuit
Jr, Makey Makey, GoldieBlox
and Hexbugs
LIBRARY
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