"I Returned the Disability Allowance to the Clerk at Social Security"

When Shlomi Fedoriano was 16, a streptococcus bacteria 'settled' on his kidney and attacked it. The only way to save his life was through a kidney donation from one of his parents. At 18, Shlomi underwent a kidney transplant, with his mother as the donor.

In an interview with ynet, Shlomi candidly shared about the difficult months following the transplant. "It was a very tough period. All my high school friends moved on while I stayed home, trying to recover. I couldn't see the horizon; I lost spontaneity because I needed constant medical monitoring, and the fear of kidney rejection was always in the background."

After the surgery, Shlomi gained weight. "I gained 22 kilograms during that time. I took a lot of steroids, which increased my appetite. I ate a lot, gained weight, and couldn't engage in activities as I used to. I felt strange, as if there was a foreign organ in my abdomen. I lived in fear," he admits openly. "It was a time when people in my hometown didn't recognize me on the street because I gained so much weight."

But slowly, as the months passed, Shlomi's desire for change grew. "After such a surgery, you start creating life according to your agenda," he says. "Life suddenly becomes much more planned. You can't do the things you used to do, and I was a bit wild. I loved doing silly things. That wasn't possible anymore. I had to change. Regardless, such an experience gives you perspective on life. As hard as it was, I reminded myself that there are always worse cases."

Shlomi decided to begin his recovery. "I started taking long walks on the beach," he says. "Each time, I added a few more dozen meters, and eventually, I even ran a bit. It was my way of getting fresh air, organizing my thoughts, and examining what I wanted to do."

"At some point, I bought an abdominal belt to support the area around the surgery, so it wouldn't jiggle. I alternated between walking and running, and after a few months, I got on a bicycle for the first time. The feeling was very difficult, as if it was my first time ever on a bike. It was strange, as if I had extra weight around my abdomen. The seat didn't fit, nothing fit right."

Shlomi continues to recall, with a good sense of humor, the tough time 20 years ago. "I couldn't pedal. Even an elderly person on a motorized scooter passed me. I told myself, 'Where was I a few months ago, and where am I today?' Every day, I did another kilometer until I was doing dozens, and I lost all the excess weight."

"The Moment I Returned Thousands to the Clerk Was One of the Most Fulfilling in My Life"

Shlomi wants to convey a message to those in a similar situation: "I want to tell everyone facing a tough situation: don't give up on sports. If someone is physically limited in some way, do something else. Adapt the sport to what you can do. After the transplant, I suffered from gout, my big toe swelled a lot, and I couldn't wear biking shoes, so I went swimming. I went through a process of adapting to the situation. The release of endorphins in sports is very important for the mental overcoming of illness."

"I also want to say to those undergoing a kidney transplant - being a kidney transplant recipient isn't 'a piece of cake.' You have to adhere strictly to medication timings, be very precise, and can't skip tests. You always need to stay under supervision. Today I know that not giving up on physical activity restored my faith in my abilities," Shlomi reflects on what helped him.

(Photo: shutterstock)

With his return to physical activity, Shlomi decided to rebuild his life and start working. "I decided I didn't want to receive a disability allowance from Social Security like all transplant recipients in the country. I took a lifesaving course and worked in the field. I returned the allowance from Social Security in full. I must say that the moment I returned thousands of shekels to the clerk was one of the most fulfilling in my life. Nevertheless, I think the state should help people who have undergone organ transplants and incentivize them to go to work through money or other benefits."

"At this stage, I began to feel much better about myself and decided that if I could go out, ride, and train every day at five in the morning, then I could participate in the World Transplant Games, and in the summer of 2001, I went to Japan and finished in seventh place overall in the 85 km race. At the same time, I decided to study business management and start building a professional career alongside my sports career."

During his studies, Shlomi met Shirley, who became his wife. They got married and had two sons. "I successfully completed health promotion and fitness studies at Wingate. Nothing is taken for granted for me, neither the activities I am able to perform nor the career I managed to build for myself."

"Despite my victory and return to full activity, I still have to be under medical monitoring, undergo regular blood pressure tests, and take medications, but I live my life as I believe I should," he concludes his life's philosophy. "I believe anyone can overcome any obstacle with enough willpower. Those who choose life create opportunities to achieve it."