Meet Stuart Marshall Bloch, the Chairman of the Board Congressional Bank. This year he was picked to be the 2011 Kidney Ball honoree. The Kidney Ball is hosted by the National Kidney Foundation and will take place at The Washington Hilton November 19, 2011.
Bloch took part in a record-breaking kidney exchange involving 26 patients — 13 donors and 13 recipients — at Georgetown University Hospital and the Washington Hospital Center in the fall of 2009. He talked to WashingtonExec recently about the Kidney Ball and his battle with kidney disease.
WashingtonExec: What were your first thoughts when you learned that you are the 2011 Kidney Ball honoree?
Stuart Marshall Bloch: Growing up, I was the youngest of four kids. I was so desperate for attention I wanted to be the March of Dimes poster boy, but my parents told me that I couldn’t be the poster boy because I d idn’t have polio. So here I am 60 years later, and my lifetime dream is coming true as the Kidney Ball poster boy! My parents are probably looking down from heaven saying, “Stuart finally got want he wanted!”
WashingtonExec: What was the most difficult part about your recovery from the transplant?
Stuart Marshall Bloch: My recovery was astonishing. I had outstanding care and many people looking out for me. I had the transplant on December 6, 2009 and a few days after transplant From hospital bed I called the bank and said, “Give me a loan to approve.” I was so ready to go. I set post-transplant goals for myself and met every one. I went to Florida in February 2010 for several weeks. My godchild was getting married in Sonoma on April 1, four months after the transplant. I told him I would be there to sing “Let It Be Me” at his wedding and I was. My Blockbusta Golf Tournament was in mid May and I made it to that.
I really had such a positive experience post transplant. I guess the most difficult thing was that my balance was affected by the trauma of the surgery. I walked out of the hospital with a walker – I used it for one day then threw it away. I just decided it wasn’t for me.
WashingtonExec: What do you think is the best way to help fight chronic kidney disease in this country?
Stuart Marshall Bloch: It’s all about diet. Growing up in the Midwest, I was raised on synthetic foods and foods full of sugar. The staples were McDonalds, sweets, pasta. We didn’t get it. I wish I had known more about health and nutrition back then. Our dietary and exercise habits in this country are suicidal. Thirty minutes of exercise a day for a kid is not a lot. And the way food is marketed to us is so irresponsible. There should be a tax — you want to eat sugar and carbs, pay into medical care for the country.
WashingtonExec: What advice can you give to people who are currently battling a disease?
Stuart Marshall Bloch: Don’t think about the worst case scenario. Take it one step at a time and think about the best way to battle your disease. Don’t ask what if, or think woe is me. There’s no pay-off for anticipatory anxiety. Love your family and be brave for them. Do your homework and find the best medical professionals. Have enthusiasm for the days you have. You can’t do anything but try your best.
WashingtonExec: Who are your heroes?
Stuart Marshall Bloch: There are heroes in life, and heroes in saving your life. That’s something you learn when you have a life-threatening condition. My wife, Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch, stepped up like a champ. She took ahold of my diet and cooked all my food, which prolonged kidney function and kept me off dialysis until the last minute. She would find ways to give me food I like by replicating it with things I could have, like barley pasta. There are so many other heroes in saving my life — Dr. Keith Melancon and the transplant team at Georgetown. The angels who donated their kidneys in the paired exchange – Leslie Wolfe and Steve Robbs. My Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan and all of my wonderful family and friends. They built a caring bridge – I had hundreds of prayers and messages. My sister stayed with me in the hospital and was an outstanding patient advocate. And last but not least, my housekeeper/”nurse” Luz who has been with me for 25 years. I now take 7,300 pills a year. I could never keep it straight without her!