TL;DR
Get workout gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Ray Vetuskey received a kidney from his mother, Betty, in March 1978, when he was 16. The kidney is still functioning, and he is marking what would have been its donor’s 100th birthday; Strong Hospital says he is its longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient. Doctors say a living-donor kidney typically lasts 15 to 20 years, while the precise basis for describing the kidney as 100 years old is not explained in the report.
Ray Vetuskey is marking what would have been his mother Betty’s 100th birthday with the kidney she donated to him in March 1978 still functioning, according to a report by Rochester station WHEC. Vetuskey was 16 when he received the transplant at Strong Hospital, and the hospital says he is the longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient in its history.
Vetuskey, who lives in Webster, New York, developed health problems as a teenager and was diagnosed with kidneys that were not working. He underwent dialysis, but his kidneys did not recover, the WHEC report says. His mother, Betty Vetuskey, then 52, offered to donate one of her kidneys; surgeons performed the transplant at Strong Hospital in March 1978.
Vetuskey told WHEC that he has kept a calendar from the month of the surgery, with the operation date marked alongside a Genesis concert. He recalled that he and his mother were on gurneys, holding hands, when she reassured him she would be fine and would not miss the concert. The transplant succeeded, and he said he still has the ticket stub.
Forty-eight years after the operation, the donated kidney is still working, according to the report. Betty has since died. Vetuskey said he thinks of her every day and had a star named in her honor through a national star registry. He visits Strong Hospital for a check-up once a year, WHEC reported.
A Transplant Far Beyond Typical Durability
The case stands out against the usual lifespan doctors cite for a living-donor kidney. Dr. Miklos Molnar, director of transplant medical services at URochester Medicine, told WHEC that living-donor kidneys typically last 15 to 20 years. Vetuskey’s transplant has continued for 48 years, far beyond that typical range, although the report does not provide medical records or further clinical details to independently assess the kidney’s condition.
The story also connects one family’s donation with the ongoing need for transplants. WHEC reported that about 500 people in the region are waiting for a kidney transplant, with hundreds more waiting for other organs. The local donor network says people can register to donate and choose which organs or tissues they wish to include.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The 1978 Donation and Its Legacy
Vetuskey grew up in Seabreeze as the youngest of five children and described his relationship with his mother as especially close. When dialysis did not restore his kidney function, transplantation became the remaining option described in the report. Betty’s decision made her a living donor to her teenage son, with the operation taking place at Strong Hospital.
Molnar told WHEC that a parent and child share biological ties, while the emotional meaning of a mother donating to her son adds another dimension to their connection. The report identifies Vetuskey as the hospital’s longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient, attributing the claim to the transplant program. It does not give a broader national ranking or compare his case with every transplant recipient elsewhere.
According to WHEC, the Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network says 72% of people locally are registered donors. The station also reported that anyone older than 16 can sign up, select which organs or tissues they wish to donate, and change or withdraw their registration later.
“Every day I think of her, doesn’t a day go by…She’s right by my side, all the time.”
— Ray Vetuskey, speaking to WHEC
medical alert bracelet for transplant patients
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What the Report Does Not Establish
The report says Betty would have turned 100 this year and that the kidney she donated is still working. It does not explain the wording that calls this the kidney’s “100th birthday,” since the transplant took place in 1978; the story appears to mark Betty’s centenary rather than establish that the transplanted organ itself is 100 years old. It also does not give Betty’s exact birth date.
Further clinical details are not provided, including the kidney’s current measured function, Vetuskey’s other health conditions, or the medical basis for doctors’ view that it could last for the rest of his life. That outlook is a reported belief, not a guarantee. The hospital-history claim is attributed to its transplant program and is not accompanied by comparative data.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Annual Checks and Donor Decisions
Vetuskey is expected to continue his annual check-ups at Strong Hospital, according to the WHEC report. No new procedure or treatment was announced, and the report gives no date for a further milestone. Doctors’ expectation that the kidney may last for the rest of his life remains an outlook rather than a confirmed forecast.
The Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network continues to encourage people to consider donor registration, WHEC reported. Prospective donors can choose which organs and tissues to include, and the report says registration can be modified or withdrawn. Readers seeking local registration details can consult the network directly.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
When did Ray Vetuskey receive his mother’s kidney?
Surgeons at Strong Hospital performed the transplant in March 1978, when Vetuskey was 16, according to WHEC.
Is the donated kidney still functioning?
Yes. WHEC reported that the kidney was still working 48 years after the transplant. The report did not include specific test results or measurements of its current function.
Why is the story described as a 100th birthday?
The report says Vetuskey’s mother, Betty, would have turned 100 this year. It does not explain the phrase as referring to the organ’s age; the transplant occurred in 1978.
How long do living-donor kidneys typically last?
Dr. Miklos Molnar told WHEC that a living-donor kidney typically lasts 15 to 20 years. That is a general figure he cited, not a prediction for an individual recipient.
Can people choose what to donate when registering?
WHEC reported that people can limit their registration to particular organs and tissues and can modify or withdraw their registration. The report says people older than 16 can sign up.
Source: hn
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
