A man from regional Victoria has sparked the largest transplant process in Australian history, with seven people receiving new kidneys in a 24-hour period.
Donating his organ to a stranger, Paul Bannan kicked off Australia's most extensive kidney exchange.
Abby Dinham reports.
Paul Bannan started a chain of events that led to seven lives being saved in one day.
But he is not looking for accolades, reserving them for the Country Fire Authority.
"I know heroes. I've served with heroes in the CFA, doing some rather bad rescue jobs. I know heroes, and I'm not one of them."
The 54-year-old, from regional Victoria, was in the process of donating a kidney to a friend.
But his friend received a kidney from a deceased donor, so Mr Bannan decided to continue the process and give his to a stranger.
"If I'd given it to my mate, I just would've been, yep, a good mate and a beaut (good) bloke. The fact that I've now given it to somebody else who I don't know, I don't see there's a difference."
The major difference is that Paul Bannan put his kidney into a paired kidney exchange program.
It matches patients who have willing but incompatible donors with others in the same situation.
Mr Bannan's gift was so important because the chain of donors and recipients included a person without a matched donor.
Because he needed nothing in return, the chain could be completed.
The seven-way exchange is Australia's largest ever, involving six hospitals in Victoria and New South Wales
Veronica Reid was one of the seven to receive a kidney.
"Without him starting this, who knows how that chain of seven would have gone? I don't think there's words to explain how it's changed my life and the other recipents'. It's given me, already, a new lease on life, or a second chance at life."
A renal-transplant physician at Austin Health, Professor Frank Ierino, says the paired-exchange program ensures willing donors are not going to waste.
"We would've had to say, 'Look, thank you, it's a generous offer, but we can't use you for the following reasons.' Now, we've had many patients who would not have otherwise been transplanted who have got willing donors."
Last year, there were about 380 organ donors, the second-highest figure since national records began.
But with around 1,600 people on Australia's organ-transplant waiting lists, it is simply not enough.
The head of the transplantation unit at Monash Health, Associate Professor John Kanellis, says it is a hard life of continual medical treatments and dialysis for those waiting.
"We're continually trying to help those people. It's hard. Some of them may not get a chance easily, and acts of kindness like Paul's are what can make certain things happen."
Paul Bannan has one word of advice for the recipient of his kidney:
"Enjoy!"
