A groundbreaking transplant procedure at University Health in San Antonio brought together 14 people to save seven lives through a first-of-its-kind liver exchange. The hospital completed the nation’s first seven-pair living donor liver transplant exchange, where volunteers donated parts of their livers to recipients they’d never met. Donors and recipients met for the first time on Friday, sharing emotional moments and gratitude for the life-saving procedures.
The complex process involved carefully matching seven donors with seven patients in need, allowing transplants to happen more quickly than waiting for deceased donors. Donor Robert McDonald says he chose to move forward even after his intended recipient received a different transplant, while donor Tana Lusty describes the experience as deeply meaningful. Medical staff say the procedures required a high level of coordination and surgical expertise to pull off.
Recipients describe the transplants as life-changing, including Norma Cardenas, who says she was afraid she might not survive but was able to return home and see her grandchildren after the procedure. Dr. Tarunjeet Klair credits both donors and recipients for their trust, courage, and generosity in making the historic exchange possible.
Source: KSAT
photo: GETTY