BY: Susan Richard
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Amid the pandemic, where he's considered one of the most at risk, Great Neck, Long Island resident Marc Weiner continues to make the trip three times a week, to receive life-saving dialysis treatments.
Weiner is among the 100,000 Americans on the waitlist for a kidney transplant, in his case, after undergoing multiple surgeries following a cancer diagnosis.
Two years ago, a 5,000 square foot electronic billboard was generously donated in Times Square to ask strangers to come forward as a possible living donor. The plea was successful, but not for Marc. It turned out that NYPD Detective Michael Lollo wasn't a match, but decided to donate to someone else.
"Detective Lollo and I became great friends", Weiner told 1010 WINS. "I went to visit him in the hospital when he was donating his kidney. He's a big advocate for me."
So much so, that Lollo will be on hand on Friday, December 18, when
Marc, Michael, and Ruth Tisak will gather in Times Square to, not only celebrate the two year anniversary of Michael's life-saving kidney donation to Ruth, but also to unveil two giant electronic billboards advocating for Marc and organ donation in general.
"I'm going to be celebrating a message of hope and giving," says Weiner, who is working in conjunction with the National Kidney Registry.
The registry uses data and complex algorithms to optimally pair compatible donors with recipients across the country.
Weiner says just because someone may not be a match for him, the message is, don't give up, because you may be able to help someone else.
Learn more about his story and how to check if you're a match at Help Marc Find a Kidney.
