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Mother's Kidney: 48 Years and Counting
2 Oct
Summary
- A mother's donated kidney has functioned for nearly 48 years.
- This surpasses the average kidney survival rate of 15-20 years.
- The son is celebrating his mother's 100th birthday milestone.
Ray Vetuskey is celebrating an incredible milestone: the kidney his mother, Betty, donated to him in 1978 is still functioning almost 48 years later. This remarkable longevity far surpasses the typical 15 to 20-year survival rate for donated kidneys, making Vetuskey the longest-surviving recipient at the University of Rochester, where the transplant took place.
Betty, who was 52 at the time of the donation, would have celebrated her 100th birthday this June. Her son, now 64 and living near Rochester, New York, remembers her as someone who would do anything for him. He remains under yearly medical monitoring, with doctors expecting the transplanted kidney to last the rest of his life.
Vetuskey cherishes the memory of his mother, who passed away in 2008, keeping mementos like concert ticket stubs from shortly after his surgery. He has also honored her by having a star named in her celestial registry.
