He said it was an easy decision to make after finding out he was a compatible donor and also learning that the survival rate of living with one kidney was high.

“There was no nervousness; nothing at all. Once I knew I could continue my life journey with just one, I was ok. And he, [my dad], would get the other one to continue with his life’s journey,” young Salmon told BVI News a day after the transplant.

“From the beginning, that is all I wanted. Just tell me the date, when it’s going to happen. I understand that I have to do some testing, and all in my head was just the date. On Friday (the day before the surgery) I was so excited. I just couldn’t wait for the transplant to happen. I’d be ok and he’d be ok and that was just it,” added Nico, who encouraged persons not to be afraid of becoming a donor.

Historic surgery

The Salmons’ surgery, which was done at the Bougainvillea Clinic, is the first-ever kidney transplant to be done in the territory.

This is according to owner and Medical Director of the Road Town-based medical facility Dr Heskith Vanterpool during a media conference on Sunday, December 8.

Dr Vanterpool said the surgery which was conducted on Saturday, December 7, had both patients back on their feet in less than 24 hours.

Results showed almost immediately after

Dr Vanterpool said positive medical results started to show for the kidney recipient shortly after the surgery had been completed. He said Neville started generating urine right after receiving his kidney replacement.

“Your normal output of urine in 24 hours is about 1.5 to 2 litres. This man has already passed 2.8 litres in six hours,” Dr Vanterpool said.

“There’s something in the blood that we measure called the creatinine that tells how bad the kidney function is. The normal amount is about 1.2 for us here in the BVI. Before he had the transplant, he was up to 18 which means his kidney was really not functioning. And by this morning, it had come down to eight. By tomorrow it will come down to four, and hopefully, within a week or less it will be normal.”

A team of nine doctors conducted the transplant. This team included Dr Dwayne Thwaites (Diplomat of American Board of Urology), Dr Obi Davies-Ekwenna (Transplant Surgeon), Dr Craig Stoutt (Anesthesia and Intensive Care) and Dr Adeyinka Orimoloye (Medical Internist). They were accompanied by six nurses and other assistants.