Alex Koehne was 15 years old when he died from what was incorrectly diagnosed as bacterial meningitis in 2007. Koehne's parents decided to donate the boy's organs to help others.

A month after he died, his parents Lisa and Jim Koehne were told by Stony Brook University Medical Center that Alex had died of a rare lymphoma. The diagnosis would have made his organs unfit for transplantation. However, the organs were already transplanted into a number of recipients, who then contracted this rare cancer.

Of the four recipients, two died, and the other two, who received Alex's kidneys, underwent chemotherapy for the cancer.

1. Autopsy results showed no signs of bacterial meningitis
2. Alex Koehne died on March 30, 2007
3. His kidneys, liver and pancreas were donated within hours
4. Liver recipient: found to have same rare lymphoma as Koehne, died 116 days after transplant
5. Pancreas recipient: developed lymphoma, pancreas removed 40 days after transplant, died
6. Kidney recipients: both underwent chemotherapy

• Topix.net: Alex Koehne

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• Newsday.com: Man who got diseased organ transplant thanks donors (April 8, 2008)

• Newsday.com: A tragic case for better protocols (April 6, 2008)

• CBS News: Teen Organ Donor's Gift Turns Tragic, When A 15-Year-Old Boy Died... (April 2, 2008)

• ABC News: When the Gift of Life Turns Deadly (April 2, 2008)

• FOXNews.com: Teen's Donated Organs Spread Cancer to Four Recipients, Killing Two (April 1, 2008)

• MSNBC: Undiagnosed Cancer Passed to Transplant Recipients (April 1, 2008)

• Newsday.com: Heartfelt Mass Marks Organ Donor Teen's Death (March 31, 2008)

• Newsday.com: Alex Koehne Wanted to Help Others, His Parents Say (March 30, 2008)

• 7online.com: Teen's Donated Organs Kill Recipients (March 31 , 2008)

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