The world 's longest ever kidney donation chain linked its final donor to ailing recipient last month when a Wisconsin woman became the 34th person whose life was saved by the record-setting program . Mitzi Neyens , 77 , was successfully matched with a Philadelphia man after turning to the National Kidney Registry 's paired exchange program -- her only option since her age barred her from receiving a deceased donor 's organ . When she received the kidney March 26 , the operation completed a nationwide chain that linked strangers from San Diego to Boston who have loved ones in need with patients desperately in need of a transplant . 32 lives saved : Mitzi Neyens , 77 , ( left ) was the last link in a chain of 34 kidney transplants -- the world 's longest such chain to date . She received a kidney because her husband Bill gave his kidney to a patient in need . Unbreakable love : Neyens has suffered from kidney disease for most of her 53-year marriage to Bill . She received a kidney March 26 thanks to his generosity . On the day of Neyen 's transplant , eight surgeons in four states linked five hospitals through transplants . Neyen , who 's battled kidney disease much of her life , received her kidney after her husband -- who was not a match for her -- gave his kidney to someone else in need . In turn , Neyen received an organ from Matt Crane , 55 , who lives outside of Philadelphia , reports ABC News . Crane 's wife Michele 's Type 1 diabetes caused her to need a new kidney , which she received thanks to her husband 's donation . 'If it took for me to give my kidney to somebody in order to get Michele a good healthy kidney , I 'm ready to do it , ' Crane told ABC , which will air a story about the record-breaking chain on Nightline on Tuesday evening . The last length of this historic chain began at the University of Medical Center in Baltimore when Latwanya Goslee donated a kidney on behalf of her brother , who 'd already received a transplant . Her kidney was driven 250 miles to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh , where it was transplanted into Gary Watson . A friend of Watson 's daughter , 44-year-old paralegal Christine Brock , donated the kidney that allowed Watson to receive a transplant . Her organ was flown 368 miles to New Jersey then picked up by a courier and driven to New York City . Starts with altruism : The chain that ended with Neyes receiving a lifesaving transplant began months prior when Minneapolis attorney Kathy Hart gave a kidney without having a loved one in need of a transplant ( FILE ) A kidney was then taken from New York to Philadelphia and transplanted into Michele Crane . Her husband Matt 's kidney was removed and taken to Madison , Wisconsin via a flight to Chicago and a 133-mile drive . That 's where Neyen 's received it . Et , voila . As ABC notes , these chains ca n't start without a donor who gives his or her kidney in exchange for nothing . This particular chain began with Kathy Hart , a Minneapolis attorney , who told ABC her unbelievably altruistic choice was an easy one to make . ' I think the fact that it was to a stranger is one of the parts that people have a really hard time grasping . But it actually even makes it easier , ' she said . 'From the very beginning I did n't have an attachment to the outcome or any judgment attached to who gets it or who 's deserving… I have an opportunity to give , and why would n't I ? '
The life-saving trend saves lives by allowing donors to give kidneys to strangers in order for a loved one to receive a kidney . Twenty-six hospitals were involved in the record-setting chain over the course of three months . A new study published today shows that people who donate blood are more likely than those who don't to die from an unrelated cause such as heart disease or cancer, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins