Photos: Preparing for groundbreaking surgery

[okarol]

Photos: Preparing for groundbreaking surgery

Brian Wallace
Juneau Empire

TOP: Troy Kahklen, center, talks with Ray Vidic, right, on Monday as Kahklen receives kidney dialysis treatment at the Reifenstein Dialysis Center. The men are filmed by videographer David Smith of part 2 pictures in New York City, on assignment for National Geographic. Kahklen and Vidic will travel to the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center in Baltimore, Md., in September to undergo a three-way paired kidney exchange. The planned surgery, which consists of two donor/recipient pairs whose blood types are not compatible, is gaining national attention.

BOTTOM: Vidic, bottom right, examines Smith's camera at the Reifenstein Dialysis Center. Vidic will take part in the three-way paired kidney exchange to help his friend.