Surgeon donates kidney to colleague
February 03, 2017
IN THE NEWS: When Dr. Colleen Coleman heard that Dr. Brian Dunn, an anesthesiologist with whom she shares an operating room at Hoag Hospital twice a month, was in need of a kidney transplant, she looked for a way to help.
CBS2 news interviewed the two at UC Irvine Medical Center, where the successful transplant surgery took place Monday.
More from the story:
After finding she was a match with her colleague, Coleman traded her scrubs for a patient gown and donated her organ.
She said it was just part of the job.
“I truly believe if I as a surgeon and physician couldn’t do this, after having participated in transplantation as part of my training and experience as a surgeon, how could I ask other people to give themselves,” Coleman said.
The transplant surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center was a success, and daily kidney dialysis is now just a memory for Dunn.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that someone would make that sacrifice,” Dunn said. “It’s just amazing to me that someone would give something with no direct benefit, but that’s Colleen.”
Dr. Jaime Landman removed Coleman’s kidney, which Dr. Hirohito Ichii transplanted into Dunn in an adjacent operating room.
Dunn’s original kidney’s failed when he was in medical school. His mother donated her kidney more than 20 years ago.
Both Dunn and Coleman encourage others to explore living kidney donation as an option for those in need of an organ.
Learn more about living donation › www.ucirvinehealth.org/livingdonor
