BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A Bellingham woman is celebrating 50 years since she underwent a kidney transplant in 1975, which was a relatively new procedure at that time, the University of Washington Medicine said in a release.
74-year-old Vicki Haggen is one of the world’s longest-surviving kidney transplant patients after her sister donated one of her kidneys on April 9, 1975.
“If it wasn’t for her, I would not be here. She gave my kids life and my grandkids life,” Haggen said.
UW Medicine Doctor Thomas Marchioro conducted the procedure and founded the PNW’s first kidney transplant program in 1968, according to UW Medicine.
Before the transplant, Haggen wanted to start a family, but because of her failing kidneys, doctors said the only way to become a mother was to have a transplant procedure.
After a successful surgery, she went on to have two children and celebrated five decades since the transplant, UW Medicine said.
For more on her story, visit newsroom.uw.edu
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