History is often made through science, but it is lived through people. Today, only four living people in the US have received a xenotransplant or a transplant using a gene-edited pig kidney. Two of these pioneers are here to share in their own words what it means to be part of medical history. Their stories remind us that behind every breakthrough is a person waiting, hoping, and choosing to move forward even when the path ahead is uncertain.

This episode is supported by eGenesis and United Therapeutics

 

In this episode we heard from: 

Tim Andrews is a pioneering kidney patient whose experience has helped shape the emerging field of xenotransplantation. A longtime resident of Concord, New Hampshire, Tim lived with end‑stage kidney disease and endured more than two years on dialysis before stepping into the unknown and signing up for a kidney xenotransplant. On January 25, 2025, he became one of the earliest recipients of a pig kidney and went on to live with the organ for a record 271 days before it was removed due to declining function, an achievement that provided valuable data for researchers around the world. After returning to dialysis, Tim continued his transplant journey and recently received a human kidney transplant, becoming the first person in this group of xenotransplant pioneers to transition from an animal organ to a human donor organ. His courage, resilience, and willingness to participate in cutting‑edge medical research have offered hope to patients facing long transplant wait times and contributed meaningful insights to the scientific community.

Towana Looney is a trailblazing kidney patient whose journey has now made history. After donating a kidney to her mother in 2000 and later developing chronic kidney disease herself, Towana began dialysis in 2016. As a highly sensitized patient with 100% antibodies, she was told she would never qualify for a human kidney transplant. In 2024, Towana was offered a rare and groundbreaking opportunity: to receive a genetically modified pig kidney. She bravely said yes, becoming one of the earliest recipients of a kidney xenotransplant and helping open the door to a new era in transplantation. Towana lived with the xenokidney for 130 days before it was removed. While she has returned to dialysis, her courage has given hope to patients everywhere and invaluable scientific knowledge to the researchers advancing xenotransplantation.

 

Additional Resources

Xenotransplantation Information

 

  Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.