BUFFALO — In sports it would be known as a three-way trade, but Erie County Medical Center is celebrating a much more important swap.
For the first time in ECMC history the hospital has successfully participated in a three-way kidney paired exchange from different parts of the country including Buffalo.
Thursday the kidney donors and recipients were able to meet for the first time.
Here at home, Ruth Faust, a mother of nine children, began experiencing kidney disease symptoms about 10 years ago. Knowing that her former mother-in-law needed a kidney Christine Faust stepped forward to be a donor. Unfortunately Christine was not a compatible match.
Still determined to help Ruth get the kidney that she needed, Christine agreed to enter the United Network for Organ Sharing Kidney Paired Donation Program.
The program allows healthy donors to donate their kidney to someone in need, in exchange for their loved one being moved up on the donation list.
Through the kidney paired donation program Christine donated her kidney to Rick Calcutt in Oak Lawn Illinois.
Rick's wife Marissa then donated her kidney to an undisclosed recipient in Rhode Island. An undisclosed donor in Rhode Island then donated their kidney which then went to Ruth back in Buffalo.
During an emotional virtual meeting with the Calcutt family Christine said that donating a kidney to Rick to in order to help her former mother-in-law was a no brainer.
"I was able to share a part of me with you," said Christine. "You can get back to your active life and your family. It's just such a small sacrifice to make to have such a big impact."
"I appreciate it," said Rick. "I just couldn't believe how fast that went. I would have been on dialysis for six months."
Ruth said that she has not had the opportunity to speak with her donor in Rhode Island but said with tears in her eyes that she would simply say "Thank you."
ECMC completed 148 transplants last year and is on pace to pass that number this year.
It is estimated that 100,000 people across the country are on a waiting list for a transplant.
"We can't celebrate enough the people who step up to be donors," said Dr. Jon Vonvisger of ECMC. "It's just an amazing gift."
