Virginia
Virginia couple celebrates new life through an innovative kidney exchange program – WTOP News
A Middleburg couple is celebrating love and lifesaving generosity after Ginger Hergenroeder received a donated kidney through MedStar Georgetown’s paired kidney exchange program.
Leo and Virginia “Ginger” Hergenroeder of Middleburg, Virginia, are getting ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day this weekend. But that wasn’t always a certainty this year.
Last April, Ginger received a donated kidney through MedStar Georgetown Hospital’s paired kidney exchange program, which allows doctors to search for suitable donors through a massive database.
Initially, Leo was cleared to donate a kidney to his wife. He was a pretty good match, but doctors were confident they could find an even closer match.
And they did. Leo was still able to donate his kidney, which went to someone else in need.
“Leo went in first, for them to harvest his kidney. Then, I came in,” Ginger said, adding that she and her husband had their procedures on the same day.
She recalled the day of her surgery when her doctor pointed to a plain brown box on a table in the operating room and said the donated kidney would soon be inside her body.
She laughed, recalling how plain she thought the box was: “It should be more festive. It should be wrapped in pink paper with a big red bow.”
Leo and Ginger, both graduates of West Springfield High School, went their separate ways after high school, building their lives. They reconnected at their 30-year high school reunion and began dating long-distance as Ginger lived in Florida at the time.
In 1995, Ginger, an avid equestrian and fitness enthusiast, developed Goodpasture Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that led to her kidneys declining and failing. She was able to maintain decent health through diet and exercise, but the disease caught up to her.
She researched several places to receive renal care before deciding on MedStar Georgetown in D.C.
“I’m really glad that we were able to be thorough and get this done for them,” said Dr. Jennifer Verbecy, director of MedStar Georgetown’s Living Donor Kidney Transplant Program.
She described the paired kidney exchange program as part of a national matchmaking service that helps people who need an organ to get that organ quickly and efficiently.
As for Leo and Ginger, they’re making plans for Valentine’s Day.
“We’re going to stay home,” said Leo, as Ginger laughed. “Candy and flowers!”
“The whole goal of all of this is that they go live their normal lives and do whatever they want to do,” Verbecy said. “If they want to go out and party that’s great. If they want to stay home together, that sounds perfect to me.”
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Virginia
Netflix casting Central Virginia singles for “Love on the Spectrum” after Danville man joins show
DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Netflix is searching for singles in Central Virginia to appear on its documentary-style dating series “Love on the Spectrum,” after a Danville man was cast for an upcoming season and producers are now looking to find his match.
The series follows adults on the autism spectrum as they navigate dating.
Monica Karavanic, executive director of The Arc of Southside in Danville, said the person cast has ties to her organization.
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“This show has been loved by millions internationally and so for it to come to Danville is pretty awesome and we’re just really excited and hoping to make it work,” Karavanic said.
Casting is focused on singles ages 25 to 40, of any gender, who live near Danville or Lynchburg and would be interested in going on a date with a man on the spectrum. Producers say the time commitment could be as little as half a day.
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For more information on how to apply, you’re asked to email: production@northernpictures.com.au
RICHMOND, Va. — Friday will be sunny and seasonably warm, with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s.
The pattern of cool nights and mild afternoons will continue through the weekend and through much of next week as upper-level flow continues to bring reinforcing mild and dry air out of eastern Canada.
Rain chances will be very limited over the next week, with only a slim chance with a frontal passage on Monday.
Stay With CBS 6, The Weather Authority.
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WTVR
PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — Ressie Keen, a 107-year-old Pittsylvania County woman, is safe after escaping a house fire that destroyed her more than 100-year-old home, leaving behind a yard filled with charred debris and scattered belongings.
Keen said she has no special secret to her longevity.
“I ain’t got no secret, just thanking the Lord to let me stay here to see 107,” she said.
Keen said she moved to the home decades ago and built a life there.
“I’ve moved there in 1969, our first crop was made in 1970, and I been living there ever since,” she said.
The fire broke out in Keen’s bedroom on Thursday afternoon. Keen said she and her sitter got out as the fire grew.
“I don’t know what happened, only thing I knew to do was to get out of there. So me and my sitter we got out. She tried to put it out but she couldn’t,” Keen said.
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Pittsylvania County Fire Marshal Scott Hutcherson said investigators believe the fire started with an electrical issue.
“We think we had an electric outlet failure, more or less; an adaptor on the outlet probably failed,” Hutcherson said. He said the fire spread quickly once it ignited nearby items. “It set the bed on fire and the clothes that was on top of it, the material on top of it, what’s pretty much what got the fire going. And then it easily spread to the second story.”
Keen’s son, Ronnie Keen, said the loss has been painful for the family.
“It was devastating real devastating, lot of memories lost. But I know those memories and emotions the things that were sentimental were still right here,” he said.
A family photo album was among the few items recovered. Pointing to one image, Ronnie Keen said, “That’s a picture of the house.”
He added that the album was badly damaged. “It’s so charred it’s kinda hard to open,” he said.
Keen also held onto her favorite cast-iron pan.
“I knew this wasn’t going to get burnt up,” she said.
The home was considered a total loss, but the family said the most important thing is that Ressie Keen survived. She is now living with her son.
“I’m overjoyed that she’s here with us and she’s safe,” Ronnie Keen said.
Hutcherson said to prevent this, make sure that there is a smoke alarm in your home. He says you can reach out to the Pittsylvania County Public Safety office for a free installation of a smoke alarm.
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