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Salem County Resident Donates Kidney

Victoria Maurizo came across a post in the Facebook group “EJ’s Journey to a New Kidney” by his determined mother searching for a type O kidney for her seven-year-old son, EJ.

Thirty-three year old Victoria Maurizo of Pilesgrove, the Director of the Salem County Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services is heading back to the office after a period of rest.

After a lengthy process, she had surgery on February 7, 2023 at the University of Pennsylvania to donate one of her kidneys to a complete stranger.


Victoria came across a post in the Facebook group “EJ’s Journey to a New Kidney” by his determined mother searching for a type O kidney for her seven-year-old son, EJ.

Her initial reaction was one of sympathy, but the story stuck with her and she felt compelled to reach out to the mother. After various tests, it was determined that Victoria & EJ were, indeed, a match!

Next came the health screenings to ensure Victoria was healthy enough to donate her kidney– CT Scan, EKG, and blood work were just some of the tests performed and she was thankful for the peace of mind that came from those tests.

The recipient’s insurance pays for all of the donor’s testing, evaluation, and surgery. After both her and EJ’s health screenings, it was determined that EJ wouldn’t need an immediate transplant. His kidney function stabilized and since he is only 7, doctors wanted to hold off as long as possible.

The estimated half-life for transplanted kidneys in children is 12–15 years, therefore children often require more than one kidney transplant in their lifetime.

So, doctors asked Victoria to continue with her calling of being a kidney donor, but not for EJ. For her donation, EJ now receives a voucher that moves him to the top of the transplant list when he does need one. She spoke with the people closest to her, including her pastor for guidance.

Her husband was initially worried, but knew that this was Victoria’s calling and he became her biggest cheerleader. Her family rallied around her on this journey– including her children, ages 2, 5, and 9. Determined, Victoria was then placed on the National Kidney Registry.

Currently, 90,000 people in the United States are on the national transplant waiting list. Of those 90,000, 85% of organ transplant patients that are waiting for a match are in need of a kidney.

Three to five years is the average wait time for a kidney from a deceased donor, but in Southern New Jersey, the average wait time for a kidney is much longer– at least five to seven years.

A kidney from a living donor offers patients an alternative to years of dialysis and time on the national transplant waiting list. With living donation, a patient may be able to receive a transplant in 1 year or less.

After 4 to 6 weeks of being on the donor registry, Victoria was matched with a patient from Pennsylvania. She was ready and excited. With help from her 9-year-old stepdaughter, she drafted a letter to the recipient.

She wrote of how much joy she has received from this process and how honored she felt to donate her kidney to them. She included her contact information, in case the recipient decides to reach out.

After the surgery, Victoria remained in the hospital for 2-3 days and will return to work after a couple of weeks of recovery. She will be limited to lifting no more than 10 pounds for the initial 8 weeks and 25 lbs for up to 12 weeks.

After donation, the living organ donor’s remaining kidney will enlarge, doing the work of 2 healthy kidneys, so recovery is important.

Victoria’s message to others is simple–raise awareness and register to be an organ donor.

Thirteen people die each day while waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant and every 14 minutes, someone is added to the kidney transplant list.

By becoming an organ donor, you can save up to 8 lives once you pass away. Registering to be a living donor, through the National Kidney Registry, can save a life immediately.

“I feel so good. Like, 100 people asked me if I am nervous. I am not nervous at all– I’m so excited; this is my purpose”, Victoria said prior to her donation surgery. She is now doing well and plans to return to work earlier than anticipated.

To learn more about becoming a kidney donor, visit the National Kidney Donor Organization at https://www.nkdo.org/.

To follow EJ’s journey, visit https://www.facebook.com/kidneyforej or kidneyforej@gmail.com.