Inland couple receive, give kidney as part of a nationwide exchange
Philip Lindgren needed a kidney transplant to replace his failing kidneys and free him from dialysis. His wife, Susan, wanted to give her kidney to him, but they have unmatched blood types, making such a donation impossible.
Last week, the Rancho Cucamonga couple both received their wish as they participated in what could become the largest paired-kidney donation chain in the nation. It is the first time for Loma Linda University Medical Center to participate in the program, which is meant to save more lives.
Under the program coordinated by the National Kidney Registry, an incompatible kidney donation pair is matched with another incompatible living-donor pair in another part of the country. So far, 15 pairs of people throughout the country have received or donated kidneys in the chain that the Lindgren’s were on, and which is still ongoing.
“I would absolutely do it again,” said Susan Lindgren, whose kidney was given to someone in Philadelphia. “I am thinking of another couple in Philadelphia who is feeling as we do; we are very happy that somebody out there has done something to save my husband.”
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