In the first two months, three persons have received kidneys in the Washington, DC area from strangers through the Living Donor Registry of the Washington Regional Transplant Consortium, the federally designated organ procurement agency for the area.

Lori Brigham, executive director of the organ procurement organization, says she expects the living, unrelated donor program will provide kidneys this year to two dozen of the hundreds waiting for a transplant in the metropolitan Washington area.

That number, will small compared to the overall need, is "24 more people saved," Brigham said.

The first recipient of a kidney under this program, Gennet Belay, 47, of Springfield, VA, this week was introduced for the first time to the donor, Harold Mintz, 42, of Arlington.

"I feel great, thank you, thank you," Belay said.

Mintz, who had to undergo a series of tests and take about three weeks off work for the surgery, received no material benefit for his kidney donation. But he said the decision had not been difficult.

"I saved somebody's life -- what did you do today?" he asked.

Other sources: Washington Post