St. Michael’s Hospital patient Walter Tauro has officially been named the oldest kidney transplant recipient in the world by the Guinness World Records after receiving the kidney at age 87.

Tauro began his journey at St. Michael’s in July 2020 when he was assessed by the Kidney Transplant program team for a transplant as a last resort after 15 years of living with
kidney disease.

With many tests to face, he was concerned his age could impact his chances at qualifying for surgery, but after several assessments and conversations with the care team – he was finally cleared for a kidney transplant.

“I was so relieved, I had felt tired for so long and was ready for my new beginning,” he said. “I knew it would be a long road, but I was ready for a second chance.”

St. Michael’s Kidney Transplant program is a specialized centre for people with severe kidney disease. Founded in 1969, the program is one of the largest in Canada. The team’s ability to tackle the most complex transplant surgeries and provide follow-up care gives patients who have often been waiting for a new kidney for years a chance to live free from dialysis and renal disease.

“In our program, it is not the age of the patient that matters, it is their overall health,” said Meriam Jayoma-Austria, a registered nurse in the program. “Walter went through the program seamlessly, from his heart assessments to a bone marrow analysis.”

Jayoma-Austria was very involved in his journey from the day he arrived in the clinic. While Tauro knew he had a much higher risk of complications going into surgery, he felt ready to take the next step with his transplant team.

The surgery was a success, and Tauro has immense gratitude for his care at St. Michael’s, and for the deceased donor he received his kidney from.

“I felt reassured and supported by the team here, everyone communicated with me so well,” said Tauro. As someone who values family over everything else, he is looking forward to spending time with them as he embraces his new normal without dialysis.

And adventure awaits post-surgery for Tauro, who now has his sights set on a trip to Europe.

Dr. Ramesh Prasad, a St. Michael’s physician who worked closely on Walter’s case is in awe of his quick recovery and resilience.

“The program is constantly pushing for excellence, my hope is this is only the beginning of treating the aging population with such great results.”

As the health care system grapples with the impacts of an aging population, there is an opportunity to give older adults like Tauro a chance at a significantly improved lifestyle post-transplant.

Projections suggest the over-75 population will rise faster than past annual rates over the next few years. A case like Tauro’s is a testament to the innovative and quality care Unity Health Toronto and health care networks across Ontario can continue to provide for the aging population.

What’s next for Tauro? It’s time to book flights, he says. Having not been able to travel far distances in over 15 years, it is the one of two things he is most looking forward to after his years on dialysis – the other is spending time with his family.

The sky is the limit when you have a second chance at life, and he says he plans to enjoy every second of it. 

By Caitie Lehman