South Australia is marking 60 years since Australia’s first successful kidney transplant was performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woodville South.

The landmark surgery on 21 February 1965, involved a father-in-law donating a kidney to his son-in-law with the kidney lasting an incredible 11 years, giving the family valuable time together they otherwise wouldn’t have had.

Since then, teams at the QEH and the Royal Adelaide Hospital have performed more than 3,400 kidney transplants, including 100 successful surgeries last year alone.

At the time, 33-year-old Peter Tirimacco was suffering from an immune kidney disease which led to his two diseased kidneys being removed.

Despite a human-to-human kidney transplant never being performed in Australia before, the prospect was raised with his family and while several family members volunteered to be donors, it was his father-in-law, 56-year-old Domenic Centofanti, who turned out to be a suitable match.

Led by surgeon Peter Knight and Renal Unit Director at the time, Professor Jim Lawrence, the marathon double operation took most of the day and, with the help of immunosuppression drugs to stop his body from rejecting the organ, the surgery was a success.

The transplant lasted for 11 years, allowing Mr Tirimacco to return to full-time work and see his family grow up, before the kidney failed and he had to recommence dialysis, sharing another decade with his family.

An afternoon tea with his family and past and present health staff will be held on Saturday 22 February, to mark this historic milestone.

The event will also celebrate the profound impact of RAH transplant surgeon Dr Christine Russell who will retire at the end of the month after performing more than 1,000 kidney transplants.

For more information about organ donation or to register as a donor, go to www.donatelife.gov.au

Quotes

Attributable to Chris Picton

I’m so proud that our skilled health team at the QEH was able to deliver this remarkable gift to Peter Tirimacco and his family 60 years ago, making history at the same time.

Since then, our dedicated doctors and nurses have continued to deliver this same life-saving gift to thousands of other South Australians and their loved ones.

It’s wonderful to mark this major milestone for South Australia which demonstrates our state’s consistent ability to achieve groundbreaking health outcomes.

The QEH was also the site of Australia’s first kidney transplant using keyhole surgery and it was also one of the first in Australia to undertake blood group incompatible kidney transplants.

These breakthroughs have contributed to learnings which have opened up transplant options for countless Australians and patients worldwide.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the generous gift of organ donation so I urge South Australians to consider registering as a donor to change someone’s life.

Attributable to RAH Director of Kidney and Islet Transplantation Professor Toby Coates

We are proud to be the site of such an incredible milestone in Australia’s medical history. At the time, other sites across Australia were also prepared and waiting to perform this landmark surgery, but it was our hospital that was given the ideal opportunity.

It was a surgery that had never been performed in Australia before so for the kidney to last 11 years was a very good outcome for the time.

Kidney transplants save lives, but they would not be possible without the generosity of donors and their families so I would like to thank them for making these life-changing surgeries possible.

Attributable to Enrico Tirimacco, son of first kidney transplant recipient

At the time of the transplant I was five and my sisters were three and one, so we don’t really remember the actual event, but what those wonderful people at the QEH gave us was 20 extra years with our father – 20 years of memories that we would not have had. He was so proud of his family and that he could be there to watch us grow and guide us through our young life.

I must also mention my mum, Stella. A young mother with three children under six and not only is the man she loves facing what seemed like an experimental life and death treatment, the other most important man in her life, her father Domenic (our Grandfather) puts his hand up to be the donor. The strength and resolve she must have had to get through that period is amazing. When the transplanted kidney failed after 11 years a dialysis unit was set up in our home and Mum did the training and carried out the dialysis on Dad three times per week.

Dad was forever grateful for what he received, and we would regularly catch up with Professors Knight and Lawrence and regarded them as close friends. Dad would also organise fundraising functions which the local community strongly supported and raised large amounts for the Australian Kidney Foundation. Today, Professor Toby Coates and his team continue this great work, not only saving lives but giving other families memories they may not have otherwise had.