A Long Island middle school teacher, Maggie Goodman, saved the life of a colleague, Thomas Coveney, by donating her kidney. Despite knowing him only superficially, Goodman was moved by a Facebook SOS flyer from Coveney's mother. After struggling with severe kidney disease for years, Coveney was in urgent need of a transplant. Goodman's donation allowed him to avoid dialysis and continue working as the primary breadwinner for his family. Experts state that live donor transplants significantly improve chances of longevity compared to deceased donor organs.
"I believe in the beauty of life and that we only get one," said Maggie Goodman, who gave the kidney to fellow educator Thomas Coveney at IS 73 in Maspeth, even though the pair rarely ever talked before the operation.
"Getting the kidney now, before I had to go on dialysis, was a lifesaver," Coveney, the primary "breadwinner" at home, said.
Goodman's actions put Coveney, who plans to return to school by May, in a position for longevity. "People who receive a living donor kidney do far much better than people who receive a deceased donor."
"I don't regret it...if I could donate a second one, I would," added the 34-year-old teacher of special needs students.
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