Dr. Aleksandra Gmurczyk was able to help two people on the kidney donation waiting list in the United States, where over 90,000 people await donations. She donated her kidney to a woman that she had never met, starting the process of reciprocal donation. This happens when a person is willing to donate their kidney to someone in need, but it is not a suitable match. So, the recipient is swapped with another donor’s match. Gmurczyk’s kidney was donated to a woman in Virginia, while the patient’s husband donated his kidney to another person at Northwestern Medicine due to a mismatch with his wife. Gmurczyk is a nephrologist and assistant professor at Northwestern Medicine, and by donating both kidneys, she felt she could help more people.
The National Institutes of Health reports that 22,817 kidney transplants took place in the US in 2020, and the National Kidney Foundation states that it takes 3 to 5 years on average to find a match for a patient. Gmurczyk often witnesses kidney failure cases, where the kidneys are unable to remove waste and toxins from the bloodstream, resulting in dialysis. Dialysis is usually done three times a week for four hours, and while there are many patients waiting to receive donations, some are apprehensive due to trust or donation requirements.
Nine years ago, Gmurczyk thought about how to change the minds of people who are hesitant, leading to her decision to donate her kidney to increase people’s trust in procedures and encourage others to donate. Living-person kidney donations work faster and twice as long as those from deceased donors, with lifetimes of 15-20 years and 10-12 years, respectively. In this instance, Gmurczyk ran tests and scans to find the smaller kidney, which was donated to the Virginia patient. Her team also included another nephrologist, pharmacist, surgeon, social worker, and donor advocate, ensuring proper care and support for the donor. Gmurczyk explained that transplant recipients need help in the aftermath of the procedure, highlighting the lack of support for some patients.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — While more than 90,000 people in the United States are waiting to receive kidney donations, Dr. Aleksandra Gmurczyk was able to help two people on the waiting list.
In turn, she donated her kidney to a woman she had never met, launching reciprocal donation.
It occurs when a person is ready to donate his kidney to someone who needs it in his life, but it is not a good match for him. Thus, the recipient is exchanged with another donor.
In this case, the kidney of Gmurchik was donated, in February, to a woman in Virginia, according to Northwestern Medicine, where the doctor practices.
The patient’s husband donated his kidney to someone else at Northwestern Medicine, due to a mismatch with his wife.
“I didn’t want to donate specifically to one person,” said Jmurczyk, a nephrologist and assistant professor at Northwestern Medicine.
By donating a double kidney, she felt she had a chance to help more people.
In 2020, 22,817 kidney transplants were performed in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health. On average, it takes about three to five years for a patient to be matched with a kidney donor, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
Gmurchik often witnesses cases of patients with kidney failure, in which the kidneys are unable to filter waste and toxins from the bloodstream, which forces them to undergo dialysis.
Although treatment varies depending on the level of care required, dialysis is usually performed three times a week for about four hours, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
There is still a long list of patients waiting to receive donations. However, some are apprehensive about undergoing a transplant, due to mistrust of the health care system or donation requirements.
And 9 years ago, Gmurczyk began to think about how to change the minds of these people. And she decided to donate one of her kidneys to increase people’s confidence in the procedures, and to encourage others to donate.
Kidney donations from living people start working immediately, says Gmurczyk, and can work twice as long as those from deceased donors—15 to 20 years versus 10 to 12 years, respectively.
After her kidney matched the patient’s in Virginia, Jemurczyk ran kidney function tests and abdominal scans to find the smaller kidney, which would eventually be donated.
Her care team included another nephrologist, pharmacist, surgeon, social worker, and donor advocate.
Donor advocates work to ensure that donors are not coerced or paid to undertake the process. Social workers help provide support to the donors, making sure there is someone to look after them at home after the operation.
“People who have had a transplant need support,” said Gmurczyk. “Many people don’t have even one person to help them after the operation.”
Gmurczyk has already reaped the rewards of her donation.
She explained that one of her patients was skeptical about a kidney transplant, but decided to start the evaluation process.
Dr. Aleksandra Gmurczyk’s selfless act of donation not only saved two lives, but it also initiated a chain of reciprocal donation, ultimately helping more people. With over 90,000 people waiting for kidney donations in the US alone, Gmurczyk’s story shows that there is still hope even for those who are struggling to find a matching donor. Her bravery and determination can inspire others to donate and increase people’s confidence in procedures, potentially saving countless lives in the future. Let us all take inspiration from Gmurczyk and do our part to help those in need.