PROFESSIONOne year later: Doctors linked by transplant celebrate on Swiss tripThe two colleagues hope their story raises awareness of the need for and significance of unrelated living donors.By Damon Adams, amednews staff. Dec. 5, 2005. Before the surgery, the two doctors were colleagues. After surgery, they were more like brothers. Last year, Charles Tesar, MD, donated a kidney to Richard Fassett, MD, who was a mentor during Dr. Tesar's residency and later worked with him in surgery. But in the year since the successful transplant, the two San Diego doctors have formed a closer bond they say makes them feel like family. To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the kidney transplant, the doctors traveled together with their wives to Switzerland this summer and spent two weeks hiking in the Swiss Alps. As part of their journey, they made their way to the top of Breithorn Mountain, which stands about 14,000 feet high near the Matterhorn. "It was really a great opportunity to say, 'Hey, you know what, I'm living large just like I used to.' We've got to climb a higher mountain now," said Dr. Tesar, 55, an otolaryngologist. Dr. Tesar started his residency in 1980 under Dr. Fassett at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. A few years after finishing his residency, Dr. Tesar joined a medical group in San Diego. Dr. Fassett worked at the hospital where Dr. Tesar performed surgeries. Soon after that, Dr. Fassett became the primary assistant surgeon for Dr. Tesar and other surgeons in his group. Each Tuesday, the doctors operated together at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego. A few years ago, Dr. Fassett started having problems with fatigue. Lab work indicated genetic kidney disease. The hereditary disease ruled out family members as donors. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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