Kidney Donor Swap Brings 2 Women Together, Saves One Of Them

MANHASSET, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- An organ donor swap brought two women together, and saved one of their lives, in Nassau County.

As TV 10/55 Long Island Bureau Chief Richard Rose reported, the joyous moment all came together on Friday.

It was a moment Tiffany Tung, 33, had been thinking about for two months. On Friday at North Shore-LIJ Health System Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Manhasset, the Westbury woman finally got to meet the woman who saved her life by donating a kidney.

Part of what made the first time meeting with donor Dawn Bates so unusual was that it turned out that Bates had first planned to donate a kidney to a relative. But when it turned out that relative turned out to be a better donor, Bates was instead matched with Tung, who was in emergency need after suffering the failure of both of her kidneys.

"The surgery was very successful," said Bates, of Deer Park. "And just looking Tiffany and knowing that she's healthy, whatever I went through it was worth it."

And even before Bates came along, Tung's father had already donated a kidney of his own to keep his daughter alive.

"Essentially, I've had three non-functional kidneys, and then Dawn did the fourth one," Tung said. "You're the one who did it."

Doctors said the idea of organ swapping is growing in popularity. With organ donors listed internationally, they routinely charge recipients to get the best match.

Bates only has one kidney now, but doctors emphasized that people can live with just one.

"All donors can live with one kidney," said Dr. Ernesto Molmente of the hospital. "Otherwise, we would not do this."

Bates said she is fine with one kidney. She called her donation spiritual matter, and added that the two women will be forever connected.

"There's a part of me inside her, and a part of her inside me," Bates said.

The staff at the hospital also said the physical and spiritual connection between Bates and Tung has already inspired new donors.

Bates is moving to Atlanta, so Tung said she will get used to traveling to Georgia so they can stay in touch.