In April 2013, eight people participated in a kidney transplant chain that took place over two days at UPMC Montefiore. In that time, UPMC surgeons performed four kidney removal surgeries, called nephrectomies, and four kidney transplant surgeries as part of the chain.

Learn more about kidney donation chains.

“The kidney transplant chain allowed four individuals to get a transplant despite three having donors that were not matches,” explained Dr. Abhinav Humar, chief of transplant at UPMC.

Because of one person’s decision to donate a kidney to a stranger, known as an altruistic donor, three others received the kidney they were hoping for too.