Kidney organ donor and recipient meet for first time at Temple University Hospital

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A life-changing connection between two young women was celebrated at Temple University Hospital.

One donated her kidney to a complete stranger, and on Friday they finally met face-to-face.

Temple doctors call this match a "miracle."

It was an overwhelming embrace for two strangers who now have an everlasting bond.

"I felt like I wanted to cry," said Evelyn Bautista from Bensalem.

Megan Bosack, 21, traveled from Rockland County, New York to finally meet Bautista, 17, who received her donated kidney. They hugged for the first time at Temple University Hospital on Friday.

Over these past 2 years, Bautista went from being a teenager to a full-time patient as she underwent dialysis three days a week due to kidney disease.

Her symptoms started around age 11 and caused various restrictions - she was even limited to 30 oz of liquid a day.

"It was really hard being on dialysis," said Bautista.

Meanwhile, Bosack struggled from Nutcracker Syndrome. It's a serious condition where the left renal vein is compressed and interferes with blood flow leading to pain, discomfort and fatigue.

Doctors said she had to have an auto transplant or kidney removal.

"There was nothing wrong with my kidney, so I decided that I wanted to donate it to help someone else," said Bosack.

On April 7, Bosack and Bautista's lives changed forever as Temple University Hospital physicians performed their surgeries.

"We tried to help our patients that have been waiting so long to get a kidney and get a second chance at life," said Dr. Kenneth Chavin who is the hospital's Abdominal Organ Transplant Program director.

Doctors said Temple's Living Kidney Donor Program has grown over the years with patients coming from across the globe.

"The transplant program at Temple is a multi-disciplinary effort," said Dr. Antonio Di Carlo who is the hospital's chief of abdominal organ transplant surgery. "The team members are all driven by their passion for making a difference."

Bosack described that difference as an "amazing opportunity to start life 2.0," and gained a new friend for this journey.

"Since the surgery, I've had no pain from the nutcracker syndrome and it's been awesome," said Bosack.

"Now that I received a kidney, it's so much better," said Bautista. Due to her recovery, she will miss her prom and high school graduation, but she feels it is worth it.

"The impact of kidney transplantation is transformative," said Dr. Di Carlo. "It is magical."

The National Kidney Registry states more than 90,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a kidney, and a kidney from a living donor not only allows the recipient to undergo the transplant sooner but the kidney typically lasts longer than from a deceased donor.