First East Tennessee kidney recipient dies

[okarol]

First East Tennessee kidney recipient dies

Ben Senger, Anchor 
WBIR.com
Last Updated: 7/13/2007 7:22:35 PM

In February of 1985, UT Medical Center played host to a surgery that had never been performed at an East Tennessee hospital.

They gave Frank Smith of Knoxville a kidney, donated by his sister. Smith was 37-years-old at the time, and his donated kidney continued to work well until he died from complications of stroke this week at the age of 60.

The lead surgeon, Dr. Mitchell Goldman, came to UT Medical Center in 1984 to start a transplant program and has worked at the hospital ever since. He says the surgery helped the program to grow, and it continues to expand.

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=47099&provider=rss

Frank Smith's family will host funeral services for him Saturday at the Payne Avenue Baptist Church.