Pocono News Section

Medical Milestone at Luzerne County Hospital

Medical Milestone at Luzerne County Hospital - Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 5:00PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Wednesday, Apr 30, 2008 @ 05:00pm EST
PLAINS TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY - A medical milestone has taken place at a Luzerne County hospital. Geisinger Wyoming Valley recently completed its first living donor kidney transplant.

Cheryl LaVeglia donated one of her kidneys to her uncle Jerry Collins.

"I saw the benefits of it. The benefits always outweigh the negative part of it," LaVeglia said.

Collins, who is 61, suffered kidney failure two years ago. He was on dialysis seven days a week at his home in Moosic.

"I was tired all the time, very sluggish. Now, I feel more pip in me," Collins said.

The surgery is the region's first living donor kidney transplant outside of Danville.

"Live donor kidneys last longer, they perform better and there's less rates of rejection with regards to kidney transplants," Dr. Chintalapati Varma said.

With more than 80,000 people on waiting lists right now for a kidney, the surgery was life-saving.

"Mr. Collins ordinarily would have to wait normally five to six years on the list while waiting for a kidney," Dr. Manish Gupta said.

Both Collins and LaVeglia say they are doing fine.

"Each time I see him, he gets better. He looks better each time," LaVeglia said.

And for Collins, he's just looking forward to getting back to normal.

"Getting out, going down to the horse track," Collins said.

Geisinger Wyoming Valley plans to do more surgeries in the upcoming months. They have five more scheduled within the next few months.