Chicopee resident seeking a donor for a liver transplant

Dec. 30, 2020 | Carolyn Noel
carolynn@thereminder.com

Kathy Balakier is currently in need of a donor for a liver transplant. Pictured is Kathy and her husband Chicopee City Councilor George Balakier.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo

CHICOPEE – Kathy Balakier is reaching out to the community for a 2021 miracle.

Balakier, wife of City Councilor George Balakier, has lived in Chicopee for 34 years. Before moving to Chicopee, she grew up and lived near Forest Park. Balakier has dedicated all of her married life to serving the community and being active in Chicopee.

Now, she is asking others to give back to her. Balakier is in desperate need of a liver transplant and is seeking a donor.

Balakier is a retired Springfield Public Schools teacher and taught for over 30 years. Her favorite subject to teach was science.

“I think I had the best job in any school I taught at because I got to teach every kid science. They’d be so excited coming in and enjoying it,” she said.

She has also been very involved in the Chicopee St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and was even a marshal for the city.

“I got to be honored with that distinction and lead the contingents of Chicopee through the streets of Holyoke. That was probably one of my biggest honors,” said Balakier.

Balakier belongs to a group of women educators called Delta Kappa Gamma, who recently brought 88 gifts to children for Christmas at the Boys and Girls Club. She is a parishioner at St. Stanislaus and ran the kitchen during their Bazaar for over ten years with her husband.

“The community is very important to me. Service is very important. Those are things that I’m not able to participate in anymore and I was always so active in everything… It’s really hard not to be a part of any of them anymore,” she said.

Balakier is now asking for help from her community in the form of a liver transplant. According to Balakier, there is a specific scale that liver specialists use when someone is sick to determine when they need a liver donor. Right now, her liver is at the point where, without a transplant, it will fail.

Balakier is hoping to receive a transplant from a living donor. The donor can be male or female and must be in good health. The perfect donor would be someone between the ages of 18 to 60 and with Type O blood, either positive or negative.

The transplant would not negatively affect the donor in any way, according to Balakier. A liver can grow back to normal size in two months, without any issues, she explained.

“They’ll live a normal life and it will give me life,” she said.

Balakier hopes to receive the transplant as soon as possible. She said she misses being active in the community, spending quality time with her husband and daughter and traveling.

“It will change my life completely. I’ll have my life back again. It’s hard to imagine that my cane will actually be put away and we can get back to our old ways of cooking, and having laughter in the house and singing,” she said.

For now, Balakier is staying positive through hope and her faith.

“I believe in my faith and I have a fabulous, over-the-moon family support,” she said. “I’m very fortunate that I have them and that we all have a faith-filled life.”

Those interested in learning more or finding out if they are a match are encouraged to call Kathy at 594-8137. Balakier’s daughter, Meghan, can answer any questions someone may have. She can then direct possible donors to the Transplant Department at Lahey Hospital, where Balakier receives all of her medical care. Doctors will be able to provide more information and take any further next steps.  

With a liver transplant, Balakier knows her life could get back on track. She is determined to see new beginnings.

“That new beginning will happen,” she said.

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