Fundraiser will help to pay for transplant

Marlboro resident has disease that requires new kidney

BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer

MARLBORO — The Glazer family of Marlboro is asking their family members, friends and neighbors to participate in a walkathon to raise money for Roy Glazer, who has a life-threatening kidney disease.

The Roy Glazer 3-mile walk/run will be held at the Marlboro Recreation Community Center, Wyncrest Road, on May 3. Registration will start at 8:30 a.m. and the walk will start at 9:30 a.m. rain or shine. The cost to participate is $25 per walker or runner, $36 with 15 raffle tickets and $100 per family of four or more.

Funds raised by the event will benefit the National Foundation for Transplants in honor of Glazer to help pay for his transplant expenses.

Glazer, 61, was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, a rare and incurable kidney disease, 12 years ago.

His wife, Ellyn, plans to donate one of her kidneys to save her husband’s life. She said her husband had a biopsy about nine years ago and was told at the time that within seven years he would need to have a kidney transplant.

With medication and his otherwise healthy condition, Glazer was able to go nine years without needing the transplant.

That is no longer the case.

“The inevitable is a reality at this point,” Ellyn said.

Before her husband can be considered for a transplant the family must have significant funding in place.

Both of the Glazers are self-employed, Roy operates HRG Painting and Ellyn owns Auntie Ellyn’s Mandel Bread in Englishtown. The Glazers have lived in Marlboro for 26 years with their children Scott, Lauren and David. Being self-employed does not allow the couple to have top-of-the-line health insurance, according to Ellyn.

The average cost for a kidney transplant is more than $250,000, with post-transplant medication averaging between $2,000 and $5,000 a month. It is estimated that the Glazer family will need at least $50,000 to cover Roy’s medical expenses, she explained.

Ellyn said as the family wondered how they would pay for the necessary procedure, a family friend suggested that they look for an organization that would help them put together a fundraiser. After searching for assistance online, Ellyn said the first name she found was the National Foundation for Transplants, which did not hesitate to help the family.

The day of the walk will feature food, entertainment by Unique Musique and a list of raffle prizes. A Jazzercise session is expected to be held prior to the run to help the participants warm up.

The family is thankful for all the people who have donated their time and items to the event.

“It’s important for everyone to support each other in times like this,” Ellyn said.

She said she has been amazed by the generous donations area residents and businesses have made to the event.

Religious groups have pledged to walk in the event, including the entire congregation of the Chabad of Western Monmouth County, Ellyn said. The family said they have received an outpouring of support from their own temple, they Marlboro Jewish Center.

For those who will not be able to attend the event and would still like to help the Glazer family, donations can be sent to NFT New Jersey Kidney Fund, P.O. Box 461, Tarrytown, NY 10591.

Please write Roy Glazer in the memo line and make checks payable to the National Foundation for Transplants. Donations can also be made online at www.transplants.org, click on the “Patients We Help” tab and search for Roy Glazer. All donations are tax deductible.