Betty Gonzalez of Camden, New Jersey recently helped her husband get a kidney by donating hers to a total stranger.

Betty Gonzalez of Camden, New Jersey recently donated a kidney to help her husband, Orlando, end his 4 and a half years of dialysis and failing health, but he’s not the one she gave the organ to.

After a lot of persuading on her part and refusing on his, the two finally agreed that the transplant was the best option. The problem was that she ended up not being a match.

That’s when the transplant team of Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center told them about the kidney exchange.

The National Kidney Registry is a not for profit organization founded in 2007 to help people in their situation. The founder himself had been in their shoes when his daughter had trouble finding a match.

The way it worked is that Betty donated her kidney to someone on the list who was a match while others did the same. Eventually, a chain of 20 donors and recipients was formed, resulting in getting a viable kidney for Orlando.

Orlando’s transplant was a success and he’s on his way back to health. Betty hopes that more people will consider getting involved in a swap program.