Woman Donates Life-Saving Kidney To Stranger

Jun 12, 2009 7:04 pm US/Mountain
Woman Donates Life-Saving Kidney To Stranger
Written by CBS4 reporter Paul Day

DENVER (CBS4) ―

It's uncommon for someone to donate a kidney to a stranger, but that's what happened Friday at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver.

There was just one minor glitch during the two-hour procedure Friday. "Little struggle getting the kidney out at the very end there but they're doing fine, no problem," said Dr. Warren Kortz, one of two attending surgeons.

The recipient, Austin Marshall, had been kept alive through dialysis. "Hopefully, this is the last time I do this," said Marshall as he was hooked up to the machine that filters his blood.

Marshall waited 10 years for a suitable donor. It turned out to be a total stranger, Mary Anne Smith.

"You know we can change lives in small ways every day, so I guess this is just a little bit bigger," said Smith.

Smith, a veterinarian, said she made her decision after being inspired by the example of another donor, a classmate she met at veterinary school.

The transplant procedure at Porter is technically advanced and relies on the use of a robot. Using the robot is less invasive and means quicker recovery time for patients.

Despite Friday's potentially life saving surgery, Marshall knows he's not out of the woods yet.

After an earlier transplant operation 14 years ago, his body rejected a donated kidney.

But as he prepared for Friday's procedure, Marshall was already grateful to Mary. "Going to have to thank her, that's for sure," said Marshall.

Remarkably, Smith went into this surgery having never met Marshall. Now, that will likely change. "It will be fun to meet him," said Smith.

http://cbs4denver.com/local/kidney.donation.porter.2.1042892.html