SLIPPERY ROCK — Neal and Jaime Wojdowski share plenty.

As brother and sister, they share the same parents. They shared track and field success in WPIAL and PIAA meets for Mars High School. They share berths in the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame, Neal being inducted in 2011, Jaime in 2015.

And they share a kidney.

Neal Wojdowski, a 2001 Mars graduate who turns 35 in August, was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy — deposits causing inflammation that damages kidney tissues — in February of 2015. His kidneys were functioning at 20 percent and deteriorating.

He needed a transplant.

“I was facing dialysis while on a waiting list for whatever period of time if we didn't find a match ourselves,” Wojdowski said. “Family members and a lot of my friends were tested.”

Jaime turned out to be a perfect match.

It figured.

Working as an attorney in Washington, D.C., she is a 1999 Mars graduate who competed at the state level in soccer, basketball and track for the Planets. She placed at the WPIAL and PIAA meets in the 300-meter hurdles and still plays in soccer leagues year round.

“Neal and I have always been active,” Jaime said. “I can't believe he's still doing the pole vault. That's crazy.”

Neal was a two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion in the pole vault. He was also a three-time Ivy League champion while at the University of Pennsylvania. He continues to compete in open meets.

A soccer goaltender in high school, Neal still mans that position in adult leagues in Manhattan, N.Y., where he works in forensics discovery.

“I can't do contact sports, but I can play goalie and adult teams always need one,” Wojdowski said, smiling. “I've probably filled in for seven teams and I never have to pay to play.”

Upon being notified her kidney was a perfect match for Neal, Jaime never hesitated.

“Of course I was doing it ... He's my brother,” she said. “My only concern after the fact was if I could continue to play soccer. Fortunately, that never became a problem.

“It was scary, definitely different. I was perfectly healthy and they were cutting into my body. I dealt with psychologists, social workers, the donor advocate team ... They cover every avenue of this to make sure you're OK.”

When it came time for the transplant, Jaime headed to New York, went through a series of tests and had to stay a week after the surgery to make sure there were no complications.

A few periodic checks over the next year and both were good to go.

“I don't pretend that what I went through was hard there,” Neal said. “I had a donor in the family who I will be forever indebted to. A lot of people needing transplants don't have that option and have to wait it out.”

Jaime was back to playing soccer six months after the surgery. Neal's first post-surgery pole vault competition was last March at Penn, where he cleared 14 feet, 6 inches.

He returned to Penn in April and hit 15 feet, 5 inches.

“I'm still chasing 17 feet,” Neal said. “I hit 16-11½ in college in 2004. For me to do it now, everything would have to work out perfect.”

Wojdowski explained that he has no training facility at which to practice his craft.

“I can run down the street holding part of a pole to work on approach. That's about it,” he said.

The only true pole vaulting practice he gets is during the warm-up period prior to a meet.

Wojdowski returned to the area this past week to help work the pole vaulting camp at Slippery Rock University. He has worked that camp four successive years.

He said he enjoys working with SRU assistant track coach Bill Jordan, who runs the camp.

“He's an awesome guy and that's a great atmosphere to immerse yourself in,” Wojdowski said of the camp.

“I don't usually work camps. I like to play. I don't like being a spectator. But it is fun helping younger people get better and sharing their passion for the sport.”

Sharing is something Neal Wojdowski has learned to appreciate.

“If my sister ever needs a liver or something — that's about the only way I'll ever be even with her,” he said, smiling.

Jaime jokingly said that “he needs to take me out to dinner or something.”

“If I ever need a kidney transplant down the road, I go to the top of the waiting list since I donated one earlier,” she said. “I do get that benefit.

“Neal's well and doing what he loves to do. That's the biggest benefit.”