Friday, June 1, 2012

Mike Rees and Greece: an intercontinental kidney exchange


Greece and USA Complete First Intercontinental Kidney Paired Donation Transplant
International Press Conference at the Embassy of Greece (6/1/12, 11:00 a.m.)


Five Lives Saved and Three More Transplants Scheduled
Six Transplant Centers across USA and One in Greece Involved


               Washington, May 29, 2012 - Medical history was made when a 31-year-old Oklahoma woman altruistically donated her kidney to a stranger—a Greek man living in Athens, Greece.  In return, the Greek man’s wife has now donated one of her kidneys to another person in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., completing the first intercontinental kidney exchange and opening a door that potentially can save thousands of lives in the U.S., as well as others throughout the world. 
               The United States and Greece will be holding an international press conference announcing this first intercontinental Kidney Paired Donation (KPD) and subsequent pay-it-forward chain of kidney transplants. The announcement will be made at the Embassy of Greece by Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis, on Friday, June 1, at 11 a.m. 
               The process known as “Kidney Paired Donation (KPD)” takes place when a donor who is incompatible with their designated recipient promises to donate their kidney to a stranger in order to enable their designee to receive a compatible kidney from another stranger. Most often KPDs are between designated donors but can also be started or facilitated by an altruistic donor (someone who gives a kidney without expecting a kidney back for a loved one). Though paired exchanges have been taking place in the U.S. for over 10 years, the idea and concept of enlarging the donor pool, thereby getting more Americans transplanted, by including other nations, has been problematic due to the transplant laws governing other nations as well as those in the United States. 
               The break-through came as a result of the tireless efforts of Dora Papaioannou-Helmis, who had been working to save her husband’s life and to advocate for changes to the Greek law regarding organ transplantation. Dora and Michalis were the first internationals entered into America’s “Alliance for Paired Donation” recipient and donor pool. This achievement was the result of the close work and cooperation between Greece and the U.S.
Michael Rees, MD, PhD, Director of Transplantation at the University of Toledo Medical Center and CEO of the Alliance for Paired Donation, will give an account of what occurred for this intercontinental KPD to become possible. Dora and Michalis, the Greek couple that participated in the KPD, will be present at the press conference, along with Elizabeth Gay, the altruistic donor who started the chain, and the recipient and donor from Pennsylvania. In addition, Greek and U.S. physicians from the hospitals involved in this chain of transplants and those who facilitated and helped change the Greek law, will be present to answer questions.
The Alliance for Paired Donation is an American non-profit organization (501-c-3) supported by public, private, corporate and government grants that facilitates kidney paired exchanges throughout the world. Services provided are completely free for both donors and recipients. Often, financial support for travel, food, and lodging is provided by the Alliance for Paired Donation, when necessary.

What: International Press Conference                                                                                     RSVP or for Further Information
When: Friday, June 1, 2012                                                                                                       Embassy of Greece – Press Office
Time: 11:00 a.m.                                                                                                                        Maria Galanou, Press Attaché
Where: Embassy of Greece                                                                                                       P: 202-332-2727, M: 202-657-1236
2217 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.                                                          Email: pressoff@greekembassy.org 

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Update from Jewish Hospital Transplant Center in Louisville: "The chain began when a 31-year-old Oklahoma woman, Elizabeth Gay, altruistically donated her kidney to a stranger—Dora’s husband, Michalis.  In return, Dora donated one of her kidneys to another person in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., completing the first intercontinental exchange and opening a door that potentially can save thousands of American lives, as well as others throughout the world.  A kidney from the donor in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. was flown to Jewish Hospital for JoAnn Breckinridge, and thus the chain continues.

“We were honored to be part of the first international paired kidney donation,” said Marvin.  “It only takes one caring individual to start the chain that can save so many lives.  We are grateful to the generosity of each donor that was part of this paired donation.”

"The successful transplants were also completed at: The University of Toledo Medical Center, in Toledo, OH; Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA; and Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, CA. Three more transplants in the chain will take place shortly at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver. To date, one Greek and four American lives have been saved and three more transplants are expected within weeks as a result of the first intercontinental kidney donor chain. 

"Though paired exchanges have been taking place in the United States for over 10 years, the idea of enlarging the donor pool by including other nations, thereby getting more Americans transplanted, has been problematic due to the variability in national transplant laws. As a result of Dora’s efforts and the keen insight of the Greek government to adopt new health laws regarding organ transplantation, kidney paired transplantation became legal in Greece. In essence, this allowed the Greek national health insurance system to pay for kidney transplants emanating from a paired exchange system within and outside of the country."
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Further update: the Toledo Blade celebrates Mike Rees: Local surgeon aids historic kidney swap

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