Jennifer
06-01-2002, 03:35 PM
He played for KU in the early-mid 90's.
It's nice to see such a positive story about a male pro athlete, there's not nearly enough!!
http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/060102dnspoostertag.7e71445.html
Or for those of you not registered w/ DMN:
NBA's Ostertag gives sister best shot at life
Duncanville product to donate kidney to sibling, continue career
06/01/2002
By BRAD TOWNSEND / The Dallas Morning News
Those who do not follow basketball may find it touching, though not necessarily unusual, that Amy Hall's brother has decided to give her one of his kidneys.
That Ms. Hall's brother is National Basketball Association center and Duncanville High School product Greg Ostertag certainly qualifies as inspiring and noteworthy. Perhaps unprecedented.
The transplant, scheduled for June 27 at Dallas' Baylor University Medical Center, could well make Mr. Ostertag, 29, the first NBA player to donate a major organ in the midst of his career.
Also Online
CRHA HOPE Program
Living Donors Online
"I'm nervous," said Mr. Ostertag, who has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz. "There's always that chance that I won't come out of it, or that something will happen later, an infection or something. But the chances are slim. I don't think about it that much."
Ms. Hall, a 26-year-old Allen resident, has had type 1 diabetes, better known as juvenile diabetes, since she was 7.
As a result, she began having kidney problems in 1999. In early March of this year, she degenerated into kidney failure. A transplant became imperative.
As Ms. Hall's only sibling, Mr. Ostertag was her best chance for a tissue match. Ms. Hall said that when she phoned him in Salt Lake City, his response was instantaneous.
"It didn't surprise me, but it touches you a little bit more when they do it as quick as he did it," she said. "And he has never thought twice about it, never looked back, never said, 'I shouldn't be doing this because it could mess up my career.' "
Tests in early May showed a perfect match. On Wednesday, Mr. Ostertag underwent further lab work and evaluation at the Dallas Transplant Institute.
Baylor's transplant committee must approve the procedure. But Teresa Metz, an RN and the clinical transplant coordinator who is overseeing Ms. Hall's case, said Friday that approval is a mere formality.
Thus it appears Mr. Ostertag will become the latest NBA player to raise awareness about organ donation. In March 2000, San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott became the first major-sport athlete to compete after receiving an organ from a donor – in his case, a kidney from his brother Noel.
The difference in Mr. Ostertag's case is that he is perfectly healthy. A donor, not a recipient. According to Ms. Metz, the risk of complication is minimal.
After the procedure
After the laproscopic procedure, performed by Dr. Howard Derrick, Mr. Ostertag is expected to be hospitalized for two days. If there are no complications, he probably can work up to his normal regimen in four to six weeks.
Photo courtesy of Ulrich Etc.
Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag (top left) with father, Jim (top right), sister, Amy Hall (bottom left) and mother, Jean.
"I think you're seeing both sides of it, how you can benefit from a living donor," said Ms. Metz, noting that 50,000 people in the United States are awaiting kidneys, and that in 2001 the number of living organ transplants surpassed cadaveric transplants for the first time.
"You've got a recipient [Elliott] who's gone back to actively playing ball," she said. "Now you've got Greg donating a kidney, and there's no reason he can't go back and play also."
Mr. Ostertag's primary concern, of course, is his sister. But one of the reasons he and his sister agreed to discuss her situation is the hope that it will raise awareness about organ donation and diabetes, the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 17 million people in the United States have diabetes, which prevents the body from producing or responding well to insulin, the hormone needed to remove sugar, starches and other food from the blood and convert it into energy.
Five to 10 percent of them have juvenile diabetes, which can be particularly debilitating.
When Ms. Hall's kidney began to fail, her red blood cell count plummeted. She works in the accounting department of a Dallas law firm, Jenkens & Gilchrist but said she now can work only four hours a day because "I have the energy level of an 80-year-old right now."
She has partial blindness in her right eye because of diabetic retinopathy, the result of blood vessels bursting when her blood pressure went too high. Ms. Hall hopes the kidney transplant will occur soon enough to let her avoid dialysis.
Ms. Hall and her husband of 11 months, Steven, a DeSoto police officer, accompanied Mr. Ostertag to the Transplant Institute on Wednesday because she wanted to know what her brother will go through on June 27.
"From Day One, he's just been gung-ho," she said. "And my brother hates needles. Hates 'em. In fact, watching him get his blood drawn [Wednesday], I thought he was going to pass out."
Mr. Ostertag said that in March, when he learned that he might be donating a kidney, he talked to Utah Jazz vice president of operations Kevin O'Connor, who was "really cool about it."
Mr. Ostertag said coach Jerry Sloan is aware of the situation, though they have not discussed it. As for the remaining two seasons and $16.3 million remaining on his contract, Mr. Ostertag said he is unsure whether he would be paid in the unlikely event he cannot play – nor does he sound worried about the possibility.
Proud but concerned
Now his parents, Jim and Jean, have extra reason to be proud of their son, but twice as much reason to fret.
Utah's Greg Ostertag (right) tries to block the shot of Dallas' Raef LaFrentz during a game at American Airlines Center on April 16.
"I'm fixing to have both of my kids in major surgery at the same time," Jean said, her voice cracking. "It's tough."
Greg and his sister, two and a half years apart, joke about how contentious they were growing up.
Greg, the athlete, grew from 6-1 in the sixth grade to 7-1 by his senior year, when he helped lead Duncanville to the 1991 State 5A title. Amy, a shade under 6 feet tall, quit organized sports after junior high to focus on drama and debate.
"I'm a lot more argumentative than he is," she said.
"There's many times I've wanted to whup her ass," Greg said. "Put that in the paper."
Yet according to Jean Ostertag, Greg has always been protective. After signing his first pro contract, he asked his parents how much it would cost to cure Amy.
"They're both real strong-headed," Jean Ostertag said. "They still butt heads. But I think right now, it's different. They get along so much better now. Greg is so sweet and concerned."
Co-workers describe Ms. Hall as the vivacious light of the office, with an approach to people and life that hasn't changed since her health worsened.
"They told us that Greg's kidney is 13 centimeters [long] and mine's only 8," Ms. Hall said. "So I think I'm going to be peeing a lot once I get his."
She said she can hardly wait for the transplant but that it's hard not to worry about the unknown.
"When you're next in line, it's kind of like, 'Man, will I make it or won't I make it?' " she said.
She understands that Greg has his own family, wife Heidi, son Cody and daughters Bailey and Shelby, not to mention a lucrative job with a limited window of years in which to play.
"His deal is, 'Basketball's not as important to me as my sister,' " she said. "I don't think any amount of money can replace a family member, or help them in the way he's helping me."
GIVING AND RECEIVING
Several sports figures have been involved in organ transplants, and some returned to the playing field. The rundown:
Athlete Sport/Team (League)
Erik Compton Golf (PGA)
Transplant: First heart-transplant recipient (1992) to play pro sports.
Sean Elliott San Antonio Spurs (NBA)
Transplant: Received kidney from brother in 1999.
Ed Farmer Chicago White Sox (MLB)
Transplant: Ex-pitcher and broadcaster received kidney in 1991.
Mickey Mantle New York Yankees (MLB)
Transplant: Hall of famer received liver in 1995.
Oscar Robertson Hall of Famer (NBA)
Transplant: Donated kidney to daughter in 1997 after he had retired.
Missy Ryan Women's rowing (Olympic)
Transplant: Donated kidney to brother in 1996, won bronze in 2000.
Bob Simmons ex-Oklahoma State football coach
Transplant: Received kidney from wife Linda in 1998, returned to job.
It's nice to see such a positive story about a male pro athlete, there's not nearly enough!!
http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/060102dnspoostertag.7e71445.html
Or for those of you not registered w/ DMN:
NBA's Ostertag gives sister best shot at life
Duncanville product to donate kidney to sibling, continue career
06/01/2002
By BRAD TOWNSEND / The Dallas Morning News
Those who do not follow basketball may find it touching, though not necessarily unusual, that Amy Hall's brother has decided to give her one of his kidneys.
That Ms. Hall's brother is National Basketball Association center and Duncanville High School product Greg Ostertag certainly qualifies as inspiring and noteworthy. Perhaps unprecedented.
The transplant, scheduled for June 27 at Dallas' Baylor University Medical Center, could well make Mr. Ostertag, 29, the first NBA player to donate a major organ in the midst of his career.
Also Online
CRHA HOPE Program
Living Donors Online
"I'm nervous," said Mr. Ostertag, who has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with the Utah Jazz. "There's always that chance that I won't come out of it, or that something will happen later, an infection or something. But the chances are slim. I don't think about it that much."
Ms. Hall, a 26-year-old Allen resident, has had type 1 diabetes, better known as juvenile diabetes, since she was 7.
As a result, she began having kidney problems in 1999. In early March of this year, she degenerated into kidney failure. A transplant became imperative.
As Ms. Hall's only sibling, Mr. Ostertag was her best chance for a tissue match. Ms. Hall said that when she phoned him in Salt Lake City, his response was instantaneous.
"It didn't surprise me, but it touches you a little bit more when they do it as quick as he did it," she said. "And he has never thought twice about it, never looked back, never said, 'I shouldn't be doing this because it could mess up my career.' "
Tests in early May showed a perfect match. On Wednesday, Mr. Ostertag underwent further lab work and evaluation at the Dallas Transplant Institute.
Baylor's transplant committee must approve the procedure. But Teresa Metz, an RN and the clinical transplant coordinator who is overseeing Ms. Hall's case, said Friday that approval is a mere formality.
Thus it appears Mr. Ostertag will become the latest NBA player to raise awareness about organ donation. In March 2000, San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott became the first major-sport athlete to compete after receiving an organ from a donor – in his case, a kidney from his brother Noel.
The difference in Mr. Ostertag's case is that he is perfectly healthy. A donor, not a recipient. According to Ms. Metz, the risk of complication is minimal.
After the procedure
After the laproscopic procedure, performed by Dr. Howard Derrick, Mr. Ostertag is expected to be hospitalized for two days. If there are no complications, he probably can work up to his normal regimen in four to six weeks.
Photo courtesy of Ulrich Etc.
Utah Jazz center Greg Ostertag (top left) with father, Jim (top right), sister, Amy Hall (bottom left) and mother, Jean.
"I think you're seeing both sides of it, how you can benefit from a living donor," said Ms. Metz, noting that 50,000 people in the United States are awaiting kidneys, and that in 2001 the number of living organ transplants surpassed cadaveric transplants for the first time.
"You've got a recipient [Elliott] who's gone back to actively playing ball," she said. "Now you've got Greg donating a kidney, and there's no reason he can't go back and play also."
Mr. Ostertag's primary concern, of course, is his sister. But one of the reasons he and his sister agreed to discuss her situation is the hope that it will raise awareness about organ donation and diabetes, the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States.
According to the American Diabetes Association, 17 million people in the United States have diabetes, which prevents the body from producing or responding well to insulin, the hormone needed to remove sugar, starches and other food from the blood and convert it into energy.
Five to 10 percent of them have juvenile diabetes, which can be particularly debilitating.
When Ms. Hall's kidney began to fail, her red blood cell count plummeted. She works in the accounting department of a Dallas law firm, Jenkens & Gilchrist but said she now can work only four hours a day because "I have the energy level of an 80-year-old right now."
She has partial blindness in her right eye because of diabetic retinopathy, the result of blood vessels bursting when her blood pressure went too high. Ms. Hall hopes the kidney transplant will occur soon enough to let her avoid dialysis.
Ms. Hall and her husband of 11 months, Steven, a DeSoto police officer, accompanied Mr. Ostertag to the Transplant Institute on Wednesday because she wanted to know what her brother will go through on June 27.
"From Day One, he's just been gung-ho," she said. "And my brother hates needles. Hates 'em. In fact, watching him get his blood drawn [Wednesday], I thought he was going to pass out."
Mr. Ostertag said that in March, when he learned that he might be donating a kidney, he talked to Utah Jazz vice president of operations Kevin O'Connor, who was "really cool about it."
Mr. Ostertag said coach Jerry Sloan is aware of the situation, though they have not discussed it. As for the remaining two seasons and $16.3 million remaining on his contract, Mr. Ostertag said he is unsure whether he would be paid in the unlikely event he cannot play – nor does he sound worried about the possibility.
Proud but concerned
Now his parents, Jim and Jean, have extra reason to be proud of their son, but twice as much reason to fret.
Utah's Greg Ostertag (right) tries to block the shot of Dallas' Raef LaFrentz during a game at American Airlines Center on April 16.
"I'm fixing to have both of my kids in major surgery at the same time," Jean said, her voice cracking. "It's tough."
Greg and his sister, two and a half years apart, joke about how contentious they were growing up.
Greg, the athlete, grew from 6-1 in the sixth grade to 7-1 by his senior year, when he helped lead Duncanville to the 1991 State 5A title. Amy, a shade under 6 feet tall, quit organized sports after junior high to focus on drama and debate.
"I'm a lot more argumentative than he is," she said.
"There's many times I've wanted to whup her ass," Greg said. "Put that in the paper."
Yet according to Jean Ostertag, Greg has always been protective. After signing his first pro contract, he asked his parents how much it would cost to cure Amy.
"They're both real strong-headed," Jean Ostertag said. "They still butt heads. But I think right now, it's different. They get along so much better now. Greg is so sweet and concerned."
Co-workers describe Ms. Hall as the vivacious light of the office, with an approach to people and life that hasn't changed since her health worsened.
"They told us that Greg's kidney is 13 centimeters [long] and mine's only 8," Ms. Hall said. "So I think I'm going to be peeing a lot once I get his."
She said she can hardly wait for the transplant but that it's hard not to worry about the unknown.
"When you're next in line, it's kind of like, 'Man, will I make it or won't I make it?' " she said.
She understands that Greg has his own family, wife Heidi, son Cody and daughters Bailey and Shelby, not to mention a lucrative job with a limited window of years in which to play.
"His deal is, 'Basketball's not as important to me as my sister,' " she said. "I don't think any amount of money can replace a family member, or help them in the way he's helping me."
GIVING AND RECEIVING
Several sports figures have been involved in organ transplants, and some returned to the playing field. The rundown:
Athlete Sport/Team (League)
Erik Compton Golf (PGA)
Transplant: First heart-transplant recipient (1992) to play pro sports.
Sean Elliott San Antonio Spurs (NBA)
Transplant: Received kidney from brother in 1999.
Ed Farmer Chicago White Sox (MLB)
Transplant: Ex-pitcher and broadcaster received kidney in 1991.
Mickey Mantle New York Yankees (MLB)
Transplant: Hall of famer received liver in 1995.
Oscar Robertson Hall of Famer (NBA)
Transplant: Donated kidney to daughter in 1997 after he had retired.
Missy Ryan Women's rowing (Olympic)
Transplant: Donated kidney to brother in 1996, won bronze in 2000.
Bob Simmons ex-Oklahoma State football coach
Transplant: Received kidney from wife Linda in 1998, returned to job.