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Ray Vetuskey, now 64, is marking what would have been his late mother Betty’s 100th birthday with the kidney she donated to him in 1978, when he was 16. The kidney is still functioning, and URochester Medicine says Vetuskey is the longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient in Strong Hospital’s history.
Ray Vetuskey is celebrating what would have been his late mother Betty’s 100th birthday with the kidney she donated to him as a teenager still working nearly five decades after the transplant. The operation took place at Strong Hospital in March 1978, when Vetuskey was 16; URochester Medicine says he is the hospital’s longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient.
Vetuskey, who grew up in Seabreeze and now lives in Webster, developed kidney problems as a teenager. He told WHEC that doctors found his kidneys were not working and placed him on dialysis, but they did not recover. A transplant became his remaining option, and his mother, Betty Vetuskey, then 52, volunteered to donate a kidney.
Vetuskey recalled that he and his mother were on gurneys together before the surgery, holding hands. He said she told him not to worry because she had a Genesis concert to attend and would not miss it. The transplant succeeded, and Vetuskey says he made it to the concert; he still has the ticket stub and a calendar from March 1978 with the operation date marked.
Forty-eight years after the transplant, Vetuskey continues to receive follow-up care at Strong Hospital, visiting about once a year, according to the report. Betty has since died. Vetuskey told WHEC that he thinks of her every day and has honored her by naming a star for her through the National Star Registry.
A Transplant Lasting Far Beyond Typical
The case is notable because the donated kidney has continued to function for 48 years, far beyond the typical lifespan cited by the transplant specialist interviewed by WHEC. Dr. Miklos Molnar, director of transplant medical services at URochester Medicine, said a living-donor kidney typically lasts 15 to 20 years. He described Vetuskey’s case as the longest survival in the hospital’s program and, to his knowledge, in his own experience.
The story also offers a local example of living donation’s potential for people considering whether to register as organ donors. WHEC reported that about 500 people in the region are waiting for a kidney transplant, with hundreds more waiting for other organs. Those figures highlight the continuing demand, though the report does not specify the date or method used to count people on the waiting lists.
Vetuskey’s experience is an individual outcome, not a prediction of how long any other transplant will last. The unusually long result reflects one recipient’s medical history and transplant, while the broader figures describe the region’s need for donors.
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The 1978 Operation and Its Aftermath
When Vetuskey’s kidneys failed, dialysis did not restore their function, according to his account to WHEC. His mother’s offer made a living-donor transplant possible. In March 1978, surgeons at Strong Hospital in Rochester transplanted her kidney into her son.
Molnar told WHEC that a living-donor kidney typically lasts 15 to 20 years, placing Vetuskey’s 48-year outcome well beyond that general estimate. The report identifies him as the longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient in Strong Hospital’s history; it does not provide a broader national ranking.
The Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network, as described in the report, says people older than 16 may register as donors. Registrants can limit the organs or tissues they wish to donate and may change or withdraw their registration. The network’s representative, Nancy Ryan, urged people to consider donation while they have time to make that decision.
“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
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What the Record Covers
The report identifies Vetuskey as Strong Hospital’s longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient, based on information from Molnar. It does not establish that he holds a national or global record, and no independent comparison with other transplant recipients is provided.
The report says doctors believe the kidney could last for the rest of Vetuskey’s life, but it gives no specific forecast or medical assessment supporting a precise timeframe. Its future function cannot be known. The article also does not provide further details about the kidney’s current clinical measurements or Betty’s donation evaluation.
The reported local waiting-list figures—about 500 people waiting for kidneys and hundreds awaiting other organs—are not accompanied by a date or a detailed breakdown. They should be understood as figures cited in the WHEC report, not as a current independently verified count.
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Annual Checks and Donor Decisions
Vetuskey is expected to continue his annual check-ups at Strong Hospital, according to WHEC. The report gives no new procedure, treatment change, or additional milestone date; his continuing medical follow-up is the next stated development.
The Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network is encouraging people to consider joining the donor registry. People older than 16 may register, choose which organs and tissues they are willing to donate, and later alter or withdraw their registration, according to the report. No specific upcoming campaign or event was announced.
medical alert bracelet for kidney transplant
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Key Questions
Who donated the kidney to Ray Vetuskey?
His mother, Betty Vetuskey, donated one of her kidneys when he was 16. She was 52 at the time.
When did the transplant take place?
Surgeons at Strong Hospital performed the transplant in March 1978.
How long has the kidney been working?
The kidney has continued to function for 48 years, according to the WHEC report. Vetuskey visits Strong Hospital about once a year for a check-up.
Is Vetuskey the longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient?
URochester Medicine says he is the longest-surviving kidney transplant recipient in Strong Hospital’s history. The report does not say he holds a national or worldwide record.
Can people register as organ donors?
The Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network says people older than 16 can register. They can limit which organs and tissues they wish to donate and may change or withdraw their registration, according to the report.
Source: hn
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