When Josh Reynolds’ half-brother, Zack, needed a kidney transplant, the Kelso, Washington, man was ready to be his donor. But they weren’t a perfect match, so they found another option that will help even more people. The brothers are part of an “advanced paired donation” that lets Josh donate his kidney to a stranger who is a medical match and then Zack moves up on the waiting list.
It’s called a “chain reaction” and it involves several donors and recipients that are all compatible in some way and one donation spurs the next. Josh’s kidney went to an Ohio man in his 20s who he may never meet and the brothers may never know exactly how many people were involved in their chain reaction donation.
“We call it my golden ticket,” explains Zack, 26. “They will find me the exact aged kidney for me … so I should be able to live a full life if everything goes well.”
Source:The Daily News
(photo Getty Images)