Couple thankful for sharing, caring people of the community

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

There is no way to describe how proud parents Terry and Linda Scranton of Rogers City feel about their youngest daughter coming forward to offer a priceless gift to her ailing sister. ?Thankful? would be a word to start with. Kara Scranton, 38, will donate a kidney to sibling Heather Scranton, 40, Dec. 14 in a transplant operation in Grand Rapids.

Terry and Linda (Dettloff), who moved to Rogers City four years ago this month, are not only thankful for a special daughter, but for a caring church and community as well. Peace Lutheran Church on West M-68 put on a benefit spaghetti dinner and silent auction to provide Heather with some financial assistance in her great time of need. Linda, who grew up in Rogers City, was originally reluctant about the event and didn?t believe people would respond because Heather is from St. Johns, the town the couple moved from.

To the delight of the Scranton family, the opposite occurred. People came from all over, including some members from Terry and Linda?s former church, three and a half hours away. ?CARING MEMBERS within the congregation knew the need and put it together,? said Rev. Kevin Jones. ?They arranged for matching funds. They did all the planning and publicity. The community responded very well with attendance and contributions.? He said the church?s creed is, ?Caring family; sharing Christ; declaring God?s love.? Lee Bingle, a member of the fundraising committee, said Linda and Terry would be the first ones to step forward if someone else was in need.

The event was Nov. 8 at the church, “that?s why the response was so wonderful, because they are such wonderful people.? ?This is such a giving community,? said Terry. ?We?ve never been on the receiving end of a benefit. We go to them. This is so humbling and heartwarming. We are so glad we live in this community.?

Heather?s health problems surfaced a year ago about the time she was in Rogers City visiting her parents for Christmas. Coincidently, Heather attended church at Peace for the holiday. It was the only time the Lansing Head Start teacher had ever attended a service at Peace Lutheran or met its members. NOT LONG after, Heather learned her kidneys had failed and she was suffering congestive heart failure at 39.

?She went through tests and had to go on dialysis in April,? said Linda. Heather had to take time off of work, accepted a layoff during the summer and was too weak to work in September. Heather?s twin sister has diabetes, so she couldn?t donate, but sister Kara and brother Mike, without hesitation, came forward to offer a kidney. Since Mike is married and has children, Kara insisted it be she. Kara hasn?t been to a hospital since she was born. ?It was very exciting, just the thought that Heather could get off of dialysis and that this would save her life,? said Linda. ?She was so weak I really wondered if she would make it.?

Linda and Terry will be in Grand Rapids for the operation, but not before decorating the church for Christmas. During a church meeting Sunday, the Scrantons put their hands up as volunteers to decorate the church. ?We could get it done before going downstate,? Linda said, adding the activity would be a nice diversion.

Kara?s a high school teacher and has been using the situation in her lesson plans and would like doctors to take a picture of her kidney that she will show students. There isn?t as much risk to the donor, as there is to the recipient, whose body could reject the organ. Linda said advances in medicine increase the chances of success. Kara is looking at getting back to work after the Christmas break.

THE DINNER and auction were heartwarming successes. When Heather received the first check, she couldn?t stop

crying. Heather told her mom, ?I can?t even talk.? Matching funds also were obtained from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. ?The auction was very surprising and amazing, because, again, everybody brought in so many things for the auction that we raised a lot of money on the auction,? said Bingle. What?s needed most now is prayer, said Bingle.

Heather and Kara are on prayer chains from Utah, Michigan, down to Atlanta, Georgia. ?We do need to have the prayers keep coming because there will always be the normal surgical risks for Kara and even more for Heather,? said Bingle, who?s worked in a hospital.

Jones said the Scranton benefit ?is one of many opportunities that we?ve been involved in. We come together when we are needed and draw together.? And for that, Terry and Linda couldn?t be more thankful.