A cardiovascular technician with Cleveland-based University Hospitals gave one patient the ultimate gift this holiday season: a new kidney.
Erika Hosey met the patient, Denise Butvin, while performing a routine stress test on her at Beachwood, Ohio-based UH Ahuja Medical Center. Ms. Hosey learned that Ms. Butvin has kidney disease and had spent the last five years on various transplant lists.
This knowledge spurred Ms. Hosey to offer up her own kidney, all within 10 minutes of meeting Ms. Butvin.
"Erika just blurted out … 'I'll give you my kidney,'" Ms. Butvin said in a press release. "I was in shock. I couldn't believe this was real."
The women learned they were a perfect match after a few weeks of testing and underwent the transplant Dec. 11 at UH Cleveland Medical Center. Both women are healthy and recovering well from the procedure.