Disproving the beliefs that only the close ones, family members and relatives can give away their kidneys, professor Susan Hou, an internationally renowned renal expert from Chicago had created history seven-and-a-half years back when she donated her kidney to her own patient.

On Monday, she was in the city to give a talk on renal disorders in pregnant women ahead of the World Kidney Day on March 11.

It is believed to be the first time when a physician had donated an organ to an unrelated patient since living unrelated transplants don't happen too often.

The lady doctor changed the relationship between a doctor and patient and took organ donation to a higher level. Susan Hou is an expert on renal disorders in pregnancy and a humanitarian and her husband professor Mark Moli is an expert on prolactin, endocrine testing during pregnancy and management of many endocrine problems during pregnancy.

In an interview, Susan said, "If we believe in the brotherhood of men, then there should be no second thought in donating your kidneys to anybody as no donation is unrelated." Speaking about her donation experience, she just said, "It felt great." In fact every nephrologists should donate his kidney for the cause of healthcare, she noted. Though her husband Mark was worried the day before the surgery, post that he was fine, said Susan. She said that donors should be sensitised too and they should be aware that health complications can crop up after donation.

It is an irony that at the time when she donated her kidneys, there was a lot of criticism from India stating that in countries where women's rights are not recognised, this kind of practice will force them to donate their kidneys for their husbands.

But today, times have changed, says Susan.