A resident of the Greater Toronto Area has recently secured a prestigious accolade from Guinness World Records, claiming the title of the oldest person ever to undergo a successful kidney transplant.
Walter Tauro, hailing from Markham, achieved this remarkable feat at the age of 87 when he underwent the life-changing procedure at St. Michael’s Hospital in June 2023. Months later, in March of the following year, Guinness World Records officially bestowed upon Tauro the esteemed title of the oldest male recipient of a kidney transplant.
Tauro recounted to CTV News Toronto his four-year journey on dialysis, enduring lengthy sessions every other day to manage his kidney disease. The taxing regimen left him feeling exhausted and debilitated, prompting him to seriously consider surgery.
“Everybody said, ‘No, no, you’re too old,'” Tauro recalled. “I said, ‘I want to take the risk. If I live, I will be living happy.’ I had a good chance of living, so they gave me a chance.”
St. Michael’s Hospital, renowned for its specialized kidney transplant program, conducted a series of comprehensive assessments and consultations with Tauro before greenlighting the transplant. Meriam Jayoma-Austria, a registered nurse in the kidney transplant program, emphasized that in their program, age is not the sole determining factor; rather, it is the patient’s overall health that is paramount.
The day of the surgery, June 11, 2023, arrived, and Tauro’s son, Lionel, remained unaware of the impending procedure. Unbeknownst to Lionel, his father made his way to the hospital alone, opting not to worry his son. The successful completion of the surgery the following day came as a surprise to Lionel, who received the news from his mother.
Tauro’s recovery journey following the six-hour surgery was not without its challenges, as he grappled with infections that prolonged his hospital stay to a month. However, nearly ten months later, Tauro’s new kidney is functioning optimally, marking a triumph over adversity.
Dr. Ramesh Prasad, a physician at St. Michael’s Hospital who played a pivotal role in Tauro’s care, expressed admiration for Tauro’s swift recovery and underscored the program’s commitment to excellence in treating the aging population.
Tauro, reflecting on his decision to undergo the operation, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, acknowledging the inherent risks associated with the procedure at his advanced age.
“It is a very risky and dangerous operation because when you’re old, it’s hard to control yourself, to get better it takes time,” Tauro remarked. “But I made it, thank God.”
