Surgeons in Baltimore have performed what's thought to be the world's first kidney transplant from a living donor with HIV, a milestone for patients with the AIDS virus who need a new organ.
If other donors with HIV come forward, it could free up space on the transplant waiting list for everyone.
Nina Martinez of Atlanta travelled to Johns Hopkins University to donate a kidney to an HIV-positive stranger, saying she "wanted to make a difference in somebody else's life" and counter the stigma that too often still surrounds HIV infection.
Many people think "somebody with HIV is supposed to look sick," Martinez, 35, told The Associated Press before Monday's operation. "It's a powerful statement to show somebody like myself who's healthy enough to be a living organ donor."
"That's one less person waiting for a limited resource," Desai said. "That helps everybody on the list."