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
************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."
********
Further update: the Toledo Blade celebrates Mike Rees: Local surgeon aids historic kidney swap
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