Rick Slayman, the recipient of the world’s first pig kidney transplant, is heading home from Massachusetts General Hospital after nearly two weeks of recovery. He will continue his journey towards full health at his home in Weymouth. Slayman expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the exceptional care he received from the doctors and nurses at Mass General Brigham health system.
At the time of the transplant on March 21, Slayman was living with end-stage kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. After his initial human kidney transplant in 2018 failed, he underwent a historic pig kidney transplant. The kidney was donated by eGenesis in Cambridge and genetically edited to improve compatibility with human patients.
Slayman’s recovery has been smooth so far, and he expressed thanks for the well-wishes he received from others, including fellow patients awaiting kidney transplants. He sees his journey as a new beginning not just for himself but for others in similar situations. Slayman’s story is one of hope and advancement in the field of organ transplantation.
