UK HealthCare celebrates “kidney donor chain”

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Participants in a “kidney donor chain” met for the first time in the Wethington Commons on UK’s campus.

According to UK HealthCare, a “kidney donor chain” begins when a kidney donor is incompatible with their intended recipient.  If the donor chooses, they may agree to donate to another patient, on the condition that a suitable donor can be found for the originally intended.  This is also sometimes known as a paired exchange.  When this process is doubled, tripled, or even beyond, a kidney donor chain is formed.

The donor chain celebrated today was the first of its kind at UK, and the longest chain to date in Kentucky, with eight patients involved.  The patients met for the first time, and were able to discover with whom each had donated or received a kidney.  According to UK HealthCare, the donors and recipients were largely from Kentucky (Pikeville, Richmond, Bloomfield, and Louisville,) with two others coming from Indiana.