Multiple organ transplants performed in one day change lives and history.

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Transplants save lives, improve quality of life and give patients a new lease on life using organs donated by other people. While transplants often involve organs from deceased donors, many people make a living donation for personal or altruistic reasons.

In 2008 a Domino Transplant—involving six people—was the first multi-patient transplant surgery ever undertaken in Ottawa. Three people received kidneys from donors, involving a complex series of surgeries and teams of medical professionals working in three operating rooms over a twelve hour period.

Domino Transplants are complicated both medically and logistically. The Domino Transplants conducted at TOH were unique in that one donor, Kelly Shannon, was a spouse who originally wanted to donate a kidney to her husband. When her husband Gene Borys was subsequently ruled out because of a blood type mismatch, Kelly continued as a donor knowing her kidney would ultimately change a stranger’s life.

That was the plan until a development occurred in the process: An anonymous donor subsequently came forward who was a match for Gene. After proving to be a good match the anonymous donor participated in the Domino Transplant at TOH.

Dr. Greg Knoll, medical director of renal transplantation at TOH noted that “the first Canadian Domino Transplants had only occurred in Toronto a few weeks earlier, so we knew what we were doing was quite groundbreaking in Canada. Our Domino Transplant was only made possible by the arrival of an anonymous donor. So, one person’s great generosity ultimately helped three people.”

Reflecting upon the surgery today, Kelly and Gene are both grateful and humbled. “It was just a simple decision,” says Kelly, “and a matter of paying it forward.”