Staff Reports
A man who received a genetically engineered pig kidney has passed away about two months after getting the organ. The man, named Rick Slayman, was 62 years old and had serious kidney disease. He had the pig kidney surgery in March and left the hospital in April. Doctors thought the pig kidney would work for many years, but they also knew that using organs from animals for humans was not well understood.
The hospital where the surgery was performed said they were very sad about Slayman’s sudden passing and didn’t think it was because of the transplant. They praised Slayman for giving hope to other patients who need transplants. Slayman’s family thanked the doctors for giving them more time with him. They said that his hope and positive attitude will never be forgotten.
Mass General is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr. Rick Slayman. We have no indication that it was the result of his recent transplant. Mr. Slayman will forever be seen as a beacon of hope to countless transplant patients worldwide and we are deeply grateful for his… pic.twitter.com/I1dFqHZEmr
— MassGeneral News (@MassGeneralNews) May 11, 2024
A company called eGenesis, which changed the pig kidney for human use, also gave their condolences to Slayman’s family and called him a pioneer. Before getting the pig kidney, Slayman had a human kidney transplant in 2018 that started to fail last year. Two other people who got pig hearts before him passed away within weeks of their surgeries.
This is an important and sad story because it shows how new medical procedures can bring hope and also have risks. It also reminds us of the importance of giving hope to others even in difficult times.
