Julie DeLillo and her brother, Michael Natale, have plans to celebrate a birthday this weekend.

In preparation for the party, the two stood in DeLillo’s office at the courthouse Thursday and unrolled a banner for the occasion. The brightly colored sign read: “Happy Birthday Kidney.”

On July 19, 2006, a gravely ill Natale underwent a kidney transplant at the Cleveland Clinic, receiving an organ from his sister, Lawrence County’s deputy treasurer.

Two years later, both brother and sister report good health and no complications from the transplant, a milestone their family will remember with a summer cookout.

“Our DNA was like identical twins,” Natale said of the near-perfect medical match between him and his sister. “Like identical twins born five years apart.”

Earlier this month, DeLillo and Natale took part in the Transplant Olympics in Pittsburgh, an event they said was marked by a strong sense of camaraderie amongst the organ transplant community.

“What a perfect time to reflect and be grateful,” DeLillo said. “It wasn’t about the competition, it was more about celebrating life.”

After their brother-in-law Fred Ryan’s successful double lung transplant in December, the family will have extra reason to celebrate today.

“He’s doing fabulous,” DeLillo said. “He just had a check up at the Cleveland Clinic, and they said he’s doing great.”

Both DeLillo and Natale said their tight-knit family is what made the difference in their successful recoveries.

“Just humor got us through everything,” DeLillo said.