Jackie Dufresne was diagnosed with bilateral kidney disease in 1973 while pregnant with her third child. When she needed a kidney transplant in 1976, her sister Jeannine stepped forward to donate. The sisters made an unexpected discovery during the screening process at Brigham and Women's Hospital: they were identical twins. Until the transplant evaluation, neither sister knew they were identical twins. Because they were born with separate placentas, a characteristic more commonly associated with fraternal twins, everyone had assumed they were fraternal. Nearly 50 years later, Jackie's transplanted kidney is still functioning beautifully. For Jackie and Jeannine, the similarities didn't stop there. The sisters have always shared a special connection. They even had a double wedding, and both their husbands are named Roger. Now, nearly 50 years after the life-saving donation, Jackie and Jeannine, along with their husbands, are setting sail on a special cruise to celebrate this remarkable milestone.
