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Woman recovering after risky pig kidney transplant. It could 'help so many people.'

USA Today
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Four people who received pig organs died within two months of transplants.

Towana Looney hopes to show that pig organs can buy people much more time than a few months .

Doctors aren't sure whether a pig kidney will be able to perform all the functions of a human kidney.

It's not yet clear how long someone can live with a pig organ.

Six human genes were added to the pig to prevent blood clots, help the human immune system manage the new organ.

The organ transplant is being done only as one -off procedures to save the lives of people like Looney who have no other alternatives.

"I want to know that I tried. I tried to make a difference," Looney says.