Terence: I think the fact that he was so familiar with our family history made him better able to treat my brother and sisters.

Mary Jane: By having siblings with the same disease, I wasn’t so frightened. I saw that people go through it and recover and continue working and have a normal life.

Benvenisty: Years ago, Terence probably would not have made it, much like his father didn’t. Pat has had very few complications and is active and doing well, and other than a hernia operation, Brendan is relatively healthy, too. They still have both of their native kidneys. Mary Jane had a few complications after the transplant, but now it seems that she’s back on track. This family illustrates that medicine isn’t just about successes, but it’s about rough times and getting people through them.

Brendan: We have camaraderie. Like being in the army together or something.

Related:

• Archive: “Features”
• Articles by Yael Kohen