One father's experience leads to national kidney registery

When Garet Hil's youngest daughter was 10 years old, her kidneys unexpectedly failed. With the same blood type and after passing the required medical tests, Hil was scheduled for surgery to donate his kidney. Thirty-six hours prior to surgery he learned that he had failed a final cross match test and could not donate. Fortunately, after an extensive donor search, Hil's nephew passed all the tests and donated his kidney on July 12. Both his nephew and his daughter are doing well.

As Hil immersed himself in the complexities and challenges facing incompatible kidney donors, he thought there must be a better way. He was amazed that a national registry to facilitate living donor kidney transplants did not exist. After his daughter's successful transplant, he recruited a world class medical and advisory board and formed the National Kidney Registry. The idea was simple; bring together incompatible or poorly matched donors and recipients in a national pool to facilitate kidney exchanges. The result is not only more transplants, but also better matching kidneys that will function longer in the recipient.

In just two months, the organization, based in Babylon, has raised $170,000 from 112 benefactors. Hil, the founder, hopes that "with enough financial support, we will be able to facilitate over 100 living donor transplants next year." Seven transplants are already planned for early 2008.

Meanwhile, over 180 people have contacted the start-up organization in its first two months, most seeking to donate a kidney. "It is truly amazing how many wonderful courageous people there are in this country willing to sacrifice their time and go through major surgery to help another person. These people are incredible and are making a real difference," said Hil.

For more information about making a financial donation or becoming a living donor, contact the National Kidney Registry at 1-800-936-1627 or visit its website at www.kidneyregistry.org.

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