By Rick Salick

It wasn’t as though three kidney transplants over a time span of 33 years didn’t catch my attention. I thought, jeez, with all this, I certainly would like to have some time off from being a medical oddity. I hold (as I know it) two records in the transplant world. (1.) I was the first transplant recipient to return to professional sports after a transplant. (2.) All of my transplants came from my brothers. My twin brother Phil gave me a kidney in 1974. The older brother Chan gave me a kidney in 1986. My younger brother Wilson gave me a kidney in 1999.

As a member of the Dewey Weber Surf Team since my final year of high school, surfing was my life. I spent just about every moment I had in the water. I was fortunate to be considered somewhat of a pioneer in the surfing world. I had advanced to the United States Surfing Team and World Contest Surfing Team and held professional status with the United States Surfing Federation. Surfing afforded me the opportunity to live a great life and see places most people only dream of seeing.

At the peak of my career, I was newly married, in my last year of school and had a decent amount of money in the bank. However, that did not last long. Within two years, my world was rocked! The roof of my house fell-in. Doctors diagnosed me with kidney failure and told me I had to start dialysis immediately. And soon after, I had my first kidney transplant.

Doctors thought I was crazy to want to get back out on my surf board. But I managed to do it. I developed a padding system to protect my kidney while surfing. I even did well enough to be ranked the number one surfer on the east coast in the 24-35 year old division in 1980.

Over the next five years, I competed and surfed across the country. My wife and I had two healthy young boys. Our joy was quickly dashed when in 1985, I received more bad news. I began to show signs of rejection. Doctors told me I would need another transplant or go on dialysis. My big brother Chan stepped in and offered to donate one of his kidneys. That kidney lasted 13 years before IGA Nephropathy came back. I couldn’t believe it! Once again I was forced to choose dialysis or seek another donor. Fortunately for me, my brave littler brother Wilson offered to give me one of his kidneys.

Again, I thought I was golden. I did expect to have some damage to my skin. After all, I spent much of my life in the sun. I didn’t think much about protecting my skin by using sun tan lotion. During that time, I did not hear much about skin cancer. Doctors did tell me that as a transplant patient, my chances of developing skin cancer increased. Still, I rarely used any type of skin protection.

After my third transplant, I developed a number of skin cancers. You should have seen the holes on my face. Over the course of one year, I had over 50 minor surgeries to remove cancerous skin tissues. One day I noticed a huge lump on the left side of my head. A deep tissue biopsy revealed I had leiomyosarcoma. Leiomyosarcoma is a rare cancer that consists of smooth muscle cells and small cell sarcoma tumor. The cancer begins in smooth muscle cells that grow uncontrollably and form tumors.

My doctors and I were very concerned about treating the disease. We wanted to do everything possible to save my donated kidney. My doctors decided the best course of action would be for me to undergo radiation to shrink the tumor and then surgically remove it. The surgery left a 4X6 inch hole in my head. Recovery from the surgery was tough. For three days I slept sitting up in a recliner. I ate very little and moved seldom. It took me three months to heal.

I thought I was out of the woods, until a lump showed up on the left side of my neck six months later. It was initially dismissed by another doctor but it grew to a point where a biopsy was ordered. Apparently the cancer had metastasized in the lymphatic system and my left lung. My doctors told me chemotherapy would have to a part of my treatment. "We can treat it, but I don’t think we can get it." Losing my kidney was a real possibility.

Fortunately for me, the chemotherapy worked. I have been cancer free for two years. Now, I try to live everyday as a celebration of life. I still enjoy surfing, golfing, skiing and spending time with my two sons.

Rick Salick is a former professional surfer and currently the Director of Community Relations for the National Kidney Foundation of Florida.

This article originally appeared in the September 2007 issue of aakpRENALIFE.