Guinness World Records officially recognized the National Kidney Registry (NKR) for the longest kidney transplant chain in the world. This massive chain was supported by the combined efforts of 25 transplant centers, it included 70 surgeries, facilitated 35 transplants and was featured on ABC News’s Nightline.
Kathy Hart, a Good Samaritan donor, started Chain 357, the longest chain in the world, on January 6, 2015. Her generous gift to a stranger began at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and the chain ended at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin on March 26, 2015.
The final recipient in the chain was a voucher holder whose donor donated on August 5, 2014. “Our longest chain prior to 357, included 60 surgeries and took 5 months to complete. Chain 357 included 70 surgeries and took about half the time to complete, showcasing the tremendous progress achieved in streamlining the paired exchange process,” explained Garet Hil, Founder and CEO of the National Kidney Registry and a voucher donor himself.
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