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Kidney transplant updated on Twitter a success for toddler
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photo taken by Cathy Doheny
The kidney transplant that made history today by being the very first to update the public on the process in real time via Twitter was a success for 3 year-old toddler, John Gilbreath. The child, who has been on dialysis since birth, received a kidney from his father, Texas firefighter Chris Gilbreath.
"John was born with kidney problems and has been on dialysis since birth. Last night was most likely his last dialysis treatment." - Twitter update, around 3pm EST
The idea of using Twitter during the surgery came about from the Gilbreath family. They use the social networking tool to keep in touch with one another. Doctors and administrators at Children's Medical Center in Dallas thought it would serve two purposes - to keep the family posted on the transplant process and also to create more public awareness of the cause of living organ donation. The surgeons were also able to coordinate the two procedures more efficiently thanks to Twitter. This would usually require a series of phone calls between the two operating rooms.
With over 100 "tweets" to keep family and the public informed of the transplant process, hospital administrators are pleased with the exposure this brought to the Children's Medical Center and to the cause of organ donation. With at least 2,140 Twitter users logged into the hospital's account to follow along, this historical experiment has been declared a success, especially for 3 year-old John.
