Columnist Susan Snyder: Brabant living a full life

Friday, May 21, 2004 | 8:34 a.m.

Bill Brabant's battle is worth $100.

The 43-year-old Las Vegas father of two received a kidney transplant in 1999. This summer he and 15 other Nevada organ recipients will compete in the U.S. Transplant Games in Minnesota from July 27 to Aug. 1.

The competitors are 17 to 73 years old, and have received life-saving bone marrow, heart, kidney or liver transplants. They are runners, cyclists, bowlers, swimmers, softball hurlers, basketball players, golfers and racquetball and table-tennis players.

Most play more than one sport. All are able to play because of the generous donations of those who decided to give life after death.

"I just got done doing the Red Rock Loop," Brabant said Wednesday, referring to the hard, hilly, 13-mile scenic road through the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. "It took me about 42 minutes."

Those who have pedaled the loop know how amazing that is.

Brabant is to compete in two cycling races, along with three-on-three basketball, racquetball and the softball throw.

It's a level of energy Brabant never thought he'd have. He suffered from polycystic kidney disease, which enlarges the kidneys and causes cysts. Brabant's kidneys finally failed in 1997.

The surgical scrub technician was on dialysis and a kidney transplant waiting list for two years.

"I had a three-liter bag of fluid go in and three liters out, five times a day," he said. "I didn't know if I was going to live. You don't ever think you're not going to live, yourself. But I'd hear other people talk at work. They'd say, "Oh, he's not coming back.' "

But a teenage girl who perished in an Interstate 15 traffic crash gave Brabant a second chance. He received her kidney on Aug. 3, 1999.

"Two weeks after the transplant, I was hiking The Narrows up in Zion National Park," Brabant said. "It's sped me up. Here you are slowly getting more and more tired every day for years and years. Then all of a sudden you have energy you never dreamed of having."

Anne Sagel, spokeswoman for the Nevada Donor Network, said they need $32,000 in sponsorships to cover expenses for the athletes, who must cover shortfalls themselves. That's hard to do. Most still face huge bills.

A $100 donation is enough to put your name on the team shirt, Brabant said. His Southern Nevada teammates are:

Fran McCaskey, a 50-year-old kidney recipient, Las Vegas, softball throw, race-walking and running.

The Rev. Thomas Montelaro, 57-year-old bone marrow recipient, St. Christopher Church, North Las Vegas, swimming and bowling.

Corky Poole, a 66-year-old liver recipient, Las Vegas, basketball and bowling.

Jerry Prose, a 50-year-old heart recipient, race-walking, running and cycling.

Neal Reese, a 39-year-old kidney recipient, Henderson, basketball, badminton, running.

John Villalobos, a 55-year-old Henderson liver recipient, racquetball, basketball.

Al Virzi, a 68-year-old heart recipient, bowling.

Only 1 percent of people who register as donors die in a manner that allows the donation, and 45 Nevadans donated last year. But 137 people currently wait for transplants. For more information log onto www.nvdonor.org or call 796-9600.