Local politician sparks world's second largest transplant chain

[Karol]

Local politician sparks world's second largest transplant chain

Posted: Jun 06, 2013 5:05 PM PDT
Updated: Jun 06, 2013 5:05 PM PDT
By Sarah Bleau

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (FOX13) -
Little did Shelby County Commissioner Steve Mulroy know that his altruistic kidney donation would spark the world's second largest kidney transplant chain.

"I was hoping to help six people, not just one, by the multiplier effect of an altruistic donation starting this chain," says Mulroy, "But to know that it helped 28 people, second largest in the world, it's just amazing."

It is also the quickest transplant chain, taking five weeks to complete. The world's largest transplant chain helped 30 recipients in five months.

Altruistic donation and transplant chains through the National Kidney Registry are programs Methodist University Hospital has worked to bring to the mid-south for approximately three years.

"To just watch it kind of progressing and growing and now these chains are getting much longer, it's a really great feeling," says Dr. Jin-Yon Kim, Assistant Professor of Transplant Surgery at Methodist.

This most recent chain, known to the National Kidney Registry as Chain 221, especially helped ten recipients who were extremely hard to match and waited years for a donor. This includes one patient that was treated for years at Methodist.

"I have been working with one of the patients in this chain, a young woman who has been on dialysis over eight years. She got a kidney that was compatible. She got the best match she could possibly get," says Dr. Vinaya Rao, Medical Director of Transplant Nephrology, "I simply cannot express how absolutely amazing this is since I have watched this young woman."

Doctors at Methodist say altruistic donation is the future of organ transplants and the solution for the organ shortage.

"I think we've all gotten more creative about trying to come up with different solutions to the organ shortage," says Kim, "Now you can literally start a chain where they can donate into this system and give their kidney to somebody but then also allow someone else – many, many other people – to also receive a kidney."

Rao says the living kidney and organ donation shortage is especially prevalent in the mid-south, adding, "In this part of the country, people unfortunately may not have family who can qualify, as donors who aren't medically fit to be donors."

To be an altruistic donor, donors have to medically qualify and go through simple tests especially about family medical history. To discuss becoming an altruistic donor, call Methodist University Hospital at (901) 516-8466.

Read more information about altruistic kidney donation at the National Kidney Registry's website.

Methodist already has four people signed up to become altruistic donors.



Read more: http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/story/22526557/mi#ixzz2VWfIusRJ

[Cwhalum]

I was a part of this chain.  I donated to an anonymous recipient and an anonymous donor donated to my best friend's brother. Originally we were told that this was a 16 person chain but I just found out 2 days ago that it was 28. The chain was the quickest on record having taken place in 5 weeks. My surgery was 2 weeks into this chain. It's an absolutely AMAZING thing to know that this many lives were impacted.

I originally stepped forward hoping to be a direct donor to my best friend's brother but when I found out that I was not a direct match, I agreed to participate in UCLA's Paired Exchange program which allowed my recipient to be moved to the top of the transplant list (the transplant wait list in California is about 10yrs right now and he has been waiting nearly 3 yrs already). I was excited at the idea of now being able to help 2 people instead of just 1 so when I found out that the chain had grown to 16, I was completely overwhelmed and emotional....now to know that the number grew to 28, there truly aren't enough words. It's amazing how you can think a decision is your own and then you realize that God has used you for a much greater purpose than any you could have ever imagined! So blessed!!

[Karol]

Congrats Cwhalum! that's awesome - How is your healing going? How is your friends brother, and your recipient doing?
These chains are amazing. So many people are benefitting. Thank you for helping to make this chain successful!

I wanted to clarify one thing though. The national wait list is for people in line for deceased donor kidneys, and yes, the wait time in Calif. is 10 years. What you did by donating is you've actually helped remove patients from that list, because they had living donors. This entitles the patients still waiting to move up, so you actually helped more people than just the chain recipients!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

[Cwhalum]

Karol, my healing is going well. This forum has been especially helpful in learning what symptoms are normal after surgery since I don't have a gauge on what is normal otherwise. My friend's brother is doing really well and his follow up visits have narrowed to once a week now which is phenomenal. I'm not sure about my recipient as there is a 6 month cooling off period before I can learn her identity but I understand the surgery was a success.

I am aware of the cadaver wait list..i just didn't clarify it properly in my post.    That fact about moving recipients from that list is the fact that that has been the most eye opening for the people I have spoken with that previously knew nothing about living donors. This entire experience has been amazing and such an educational tool for those around me.