Maria Stepek Doherty | | Kidneys, with love
Kin didn't match - heroes still gave organs to others
BY JORDAN LITE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
In a circle of love are George Brooks (l.), who got a kidney from Florence Jantzi (r.), who embraces George's wife, Sharon, who herself gave a kidney at Johns Hopkins University Hospital.
BALTIMORE - In an extraordinary and historic swap of organs, doctors performed five simultaneous kidney transplants in a deal born out of love and desperation.
The operations, believed to be the largest living-donor exchange of its kind, may not even be legal.
But "no one who has a mind or heart could say it is wrong," said Dr. Robert Montgomery, who led the 10-hour transplant surgeries at Johns Hopkins University Hospital last Tuesday.
The domino effect began with Honore (Honey) Rothstein, who wanted to donate a kidney to honor her daughter, a victim of a drug overdose two Thanksgivings ago.
Meanwhile, four patients who were desperate for kidneys couldn't receive them from the people who loved them most because their blood and tissue types didn't match.
At the hospital yesterday, Rothstein, a computer programmer for the IRS in West Virginia, said she was "thrilled" that her kidney would save the life of Kristine Jantzi, 40.
"Her mom couldn't give to her, I couldn't save my daughter, so I think it's wonderful I'm giving something to your daughter," Rothstein told Florence Jantzi, her voice faltering as both mothers clasped Kristine's frail hands.
"It's almost like a resurrection," Kristine said.
Jantzi's mother contributed her donated kidney to another waiting patient.
Once the five-way swap was agreed to, the transplants were done all at the same time to prevent anyone from backing out later or in case someone fell ill.
The transplants could be interpreted as breaking a federal law that bans compensation for donating organs. But a bill pending in Congress would officially legalize such swaps.
Those legal issues were not on the minds of the donors and recipients as they gathered yesterday.
"How do you thank somebody who saved your life?" Sheila Thornton asked as her donor, Sandra Loevner, wept.
The donors
Honore (Honey) Rothstein, 48, Martinsburg, W. Va.
She wanted to donate a kidney in memory of her deceased daughter. Her kidney went to Kristine Jantzi, 40, of Bangor, Maine.
Florence Jantzi, 65, of Ontario, Canada
Unable to donate her kidney to her daughter Kristine, she instead was a match for George Brooks, 52, of Clermont, Fla.
Sharon Brooks, 55, Clermont, Fla.
Unable to donate to her husband, George, she was match for Gary Persell, 61, of Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Leslie Persell, 61, of Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Unable to donate to her husband, Gary, she was match for Gerald Loevner, 77, of Sarasota, Fla.
Sandra Loevner, 63, of Sarasota, Fla.
Unable to donate to her husband, Gerald, she was a match for Sheila Thornton, 63, of Edgewood, Md.
Originally published on November 21, 2006
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