Considering the number of kidney transplants done in the US every year (13,000 in 2002, according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients), it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that there are some interesting webs of connection between recipients. Here's an amusing one from Baltimore, courtesy of the NY Times and Washington Post.

• Jeremy Weiser-Warschoff (13, DC suburbs) received a kidney from Paul Boissiere (30, Trinidad)
• Tracey Stahl (Pennsylvania) received a kidney from Julia Tower (DC suburbs, friend of Jeremy).
• Germaine Allum (Trinidad, fiance of Mr. Boissiere) received a kidney from Connie Dick (Pennsylvania, friend of Mrs. Stahl).

Pretty convoluted, but not terribly surprising considering that most people don't register to be tested for the donor network until somebody they know needs a kidney.