Just before Christmas, we told you the story of Abhi Singh, his wife Anna and their 7-year-old son Samir who were enjoying the holidays. But what they really wanted for Christmas was a new kidney for Abhi.

When he was a little boy, Abhi went to India with his parents and ate some unwashed food which created a kidney disease or infection. Doctors told his parents by the time he would need a kidney transplant, medicine will have advanced. But now, 40 years later, Abhi’s kidney function was declining fast. His doctor at The University of Kansas Health System told him that the wait for a cadaver kidney can be three to five years, and that Abhi didn’t have that kind of time. So they resorted to a public appeal to try to get one a lot sooner. After family and friends all underwent tests…a match was found. It was Abhi’s wife Anna! After a successful transplant a week ago, the couple are both home recovering…and Abhi’s health is already improving.

In the video, Doctors Timothy Schmitt and Sean Kumer, the surgeons who performed the transplant from Anna to Abhi, talk about the procedure and what’s involved for both donor and recipient. Dr. Schmitt says it’s a very satisfying procedure for them because they get so see immediate results. Dr. Kumer says donations like this where a family member gets to help warm his heart. He also talks about the great need for donations, both live and deceased, with several hundred patients on the waiting list in this area.

Also in the video, Abhi and Anna Singh, in adjoining beds, just before the surgery. Each talks about their love for the other, and what they look forward to once they’ve each recovered from their procedure.

            The video also has shots from inside the operating room of the transplant.