kidney swap at Mass Gen in Boston

Two people who needed kidneys have been given a second chance at life, thanks to the generous hearts of two others. It all started with Amy Hutchison, who one day decided that she'd join the New England Program for Kidney Exchange. "I'm healthy. I'm young. I have two kidneys," Hutchison said. "I only need one, and 4,000 people die a year waiting." And one of those waiting was Pedro Beldre. He received a donated kidney five years ago on his right side. He was on dialysis, and still needed a left kidney. Last year, his sister-in-law Doris Tavarez tried to give to him. But at the last minute, she wasn't a match. So Beldre waited for more than a year before getting the phone call approximately eight days ago. Amy Hutchison was a match for Pedro. But that left Doris Tavarez, sad that she couldn't help Pedro, but told she could help someone else. "I was happy because I was willing to donate, and I was excited," Tavarez said. So she gave to John Akatyszewski, who was on dialysis and had been waiting for a kidney for three years. None of his five siblings were matches. Then on Jan. 2, Akatyszewski was told he would get a kidney from Doris Tavarez. "I couldn't ask for anything better in my life," a tearful Akatyszewski said. "I called my family. I cried to everyone I called. It meant a lot." So on Saturday, a team of doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital helped Amy Hutchison donate a kidney to Pedro Beldre, and Doris Tavarez give one to John Akatyszewski. In turn, they've given everyone a lesson about organ donation. "That despite not having the appropriate blood group donor or having a right match - there are still options to make this happen so that more and more patients are benefited," said MGH surgeon Dr. Dicken Ho. Akatyszewski was asked whether he feels he has his life back. " I felt it the day I had my transplant," he said. And now after the kidney surgery, the donors and the recipients feel that something has happened to their hearts as well. They've gotten bigger, to make room for a brand-new, extended family. "Everybody's one big family," Beldre said. "We're all joined for life. Lifelong friends. I want to say thank you, Amy. Thank you."

Saw this on WBZTV on the news just now. Why can't we have more people like these people who are willing to donate!!?? What an awesome story. Mass General has done 14 kidney swaps.

EDITED: Fixed bold prompt error/moved to proper section - Sluff/ Admin