“When I went to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center it felt like home in a way.”
At 80 years old, Peter Spinelli has no plans of slowing down. As a New York City artist, painter and composer, he spends his days creating, but more than a decade ago, Peter’s daily routine looked much different.
After spending seven years on dialysis, Peter received a life-changing living donor kidney transplant in September 2013 at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (CBMC), formerly Saint Barnabas Medical Center, thanks to his wife’s determination and a kidney paired donation that connected multiple families in need.
A Match Made Possible
Peter began dialysis in 2006, continuing to work and maintain an active lifestyle while managing the demands of treatment. Over time, however, the routine became increasingly difficult, and recurring infections added to the challenges.
Lukkana, his wife, witnessed those struggles firsthand, helping him manage dialysis treatments at home. Determined to improve his quality of life, she offered to donate one of her kidneys.
Initially, Peter was hesitant. “I didn’t want anything bad to happen,” he recalled, explaining his concerns about his wife undergoing surgery.
Despite his hesitations, she remained determined to help. When they learned they were not compatible for a direct kidney donation, the couple explored another possibility at CBMC, a kidney paired donation.
Through kidney paired donation, patients who have a willing living donor but are not compatible can be matched with other donor-recipient pairs. This allows donors to give a kidney to another compatible recipient while their loved one receives a kidney from someone else in the exchange.
In September 2013, Peter and his wife participated in a large kidney paired donation chain involving multiple donors and recipients, helping make several life-changing transplants possible.
For Lukkana, the experience reinforced the extraordinary impact of living donation. “It’s amazing how you can help somebody’s life,” she shared. “I never have any regret at all. Never.”
A Team That Made All the Difference
For Peter and his wife, navigating the transplant process was made easier by the guidance and reassurance of the kidney transplant team at CBMC, including Shamkant Mulgaonkar, MD, then Chief of the Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division, transplant surgeon Stuart R. Geffner, MD, MS, MS-HCM, FACS, Chairman and Surgeon-in-Chief of the Department of Surgery at CBMC, and Assistant Vice President of Transplant Clinical Services, Marie Morgievich, MSN, RN, APN-C, CCTC.
From their initial consultations through the kidney-paired donation process, the couple felt supported and informed every step of the way.
Peter particularly remembers a moment just before his transplant when Dr. Mulgaonkar placed a reassuring hand on his arm and told him everything would be okay. “After that, I wasn’t concerned about anything,” Peter recalled.
Following his surgery, Peter also remembers Dr. Geffner sharing the encouraging news that his new kidney had begun functioning immediately.
For Peter, the team’s coordinated approach and personal attention made a lasting impression. “Each individual worked as a group,” he shared. “It was smooth.”
A New Chapter Begins
Following his successful transplant, Peter noticed an almost immediate difference.“I felt great,” he recalled. “My body was adjusting to the new kidney.”Lukkana noticed the change, too, particularly the color returning to his face.
After years of dialysis, Peter was finally able to return home with a new kidney and a renewed sense of freedom. “Being off dialysis was the biggest thrill,” he said. “I was still in shock that I really had a new kidney.”
“Kidney paired donation creates opportunities for patients who may otherwise face challenges finding a compatible living donor,” shares Dr. Geffner. “Peter’s story demonstrates how living donation can transform a patient’s quality of life, with benefits that can last for many years.”
More Than a Decade of Gratitude
Today, 13 years after his transplant, Peter continues to enjoy an active, creative life. He works on his art and music daily, exercises regularly with Lukkana, and remains deeply committed to a healthy lifestyle.
Although the couple lives in New York City, they returned to CBMC for annual visits for many years. Recently, they made the trip once more, this time, simply expressing their appreciation to the team that changed their lives.
For Peter, the experience was always about more than receiving a kidney. It was about finding a team he could truly trust. “When I went there, it felt like home in a way,” he reflects, recalling the supportive environment and deeply personalized care.
About The Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center.
The Renal and Pancreas Transplant Division, located in Livingston, NJ, is one of the leading kidney transplant centers in the country. The Transplant Division at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center offers compassionate and comprehensive transplant care for adult and pediatric kidney patients.
The Living Donor Institute at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center offers an increasing number of innovative living donation techniques available at only a few of the world’s leading transplant centers.
With a patient-centered approach, we aim to provide a caring environment with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment capabilities. Our multidisciplinary transplant team guides patients through the process of deciding on kidney transplant as a treatment option,
understanding transplantation, finding a donor, and maintaining a healthy organ after transplant. To learn more about living kidney donation and living donor kidney transplant call 973-322-5346 to speak to a Registered Nurse.