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Why Fiesta Group is on a mission to save lives
Nearly 15 years after receiving a kidney transplant from his sister, Richard Stockinger, CEO and president of Fiesta Restaurant Group, is still on a mission to help Americans prevent and detect kidney disease.
March 29, 2019 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
More than 101,000 Americans are on the waiting list for a kidney, but only 17,000 people receive one each year, according to the National Kidney Foundation. That means 12 people die each day waiting, and Richard Stockinger, CEO and President of Fiesta Restaurant Group, could have been one of them had it not been for his sister's kidney donation.
"I was shocked because no one in my family had any history of kidney issues, which just goes to show how this can really affect anyone," said Stockinger, who was healthy and 46 when he found out that he had kidney disease after a scheduled knee surgery was canceled due to a problem with his bloodwork. "I was blessed that my sister was a match. She saved my life."
Stockinger's outcome isn't common as 25 percent of siblings are a match. This fact, along with his personal battle, has inspired him to not only help get the word out about kidney disease and prevention, but to also raise money for the National Kidney Foundation. Its mission is to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.
"This is the opportunity to save someone's life,"said Stockinger, who in 2007, joined the Greater New York board chairing the NYC Kidney Walk, which raised $500,000. "It was great to be able to give back to an organization whose mission I truly believe in."
He also supports the mission by getting his restaurant brands involved. From March 11 to March 24, Texas-based Taco Cabana units donated $1 for every shareable sold to the foundation, raising a total of $50,000. Florida-based Pollo Tropical locations hosted a similar event this month, which is National Kidney Month.
"I'm living proof that organ transplantation works and that you can live a normal life after — and that normal life can be anything you dream of," he said. "The NKF is on a mission to give this same opportunity to as many people as they possibly can. Since I'm in the position I am today because of my sister's kidney donation, I want to help NKF impact even more lives, so others can have this chance, too."
Restaurant brands often have the resources and influence to reach large populations and various communities, which is why they can be some of the most effective advocates for this cause, Stockinger said.
"There are so many people affected who don't even know about it, and they find out when it's too late," he said. "It's important to get awareness to go get tested and to show people how becoming a donor can help save lives. That's the reason I've continued to stay connected with the Kidney Foundation, even after all these years. I'm fortunate to work with teams of people at Fiesta Restaurant Group, Taco Cabana and Pollo Tropical who share this belief and want to use our brands to help others."
Neil Foote, the Texas Board Chair for the NKF, said he was grateful to Stockinger and would appreciate any support from other restaurant brands that would like to help.
"We would love to hear from other interested restaurants who want to join our mission in preventing chronic kidney disease, raising awareness and promoting transplantation from living donors," he said in an interview with FastCasual. "We encourage them to contact our national office at 212-889-2210 or www.kidney.org.
Stockinger said the fact that he and his sister have been able to live normal lives is why it's so important to get awareness out.
"You can give life as a donor, without affecting your own," he said. "Dialysis is a tough way to live. It's not easy, and so many people in need of a kidney have to resort to it. My sister's donation prevented me from ever having to go through that, allowing me to function as if nothing ever happened. That is a true blessing."
About Cherryh Cansler
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