Human kidneys perform a critical function. They filter waste and water out of the blood. The urine produced is then flushed out of the body through the bladder. But when both kidneys lose the ability to function, people cannot live long without dialysis [blood sent through a filter which removes waste] or transplantation. For many patients, the wait for a donated kidney can be dangerously long. Some die before a kidney becomes available. But VOA's Melinda Smith has the story of lucky recipients whose lives were saved by the kindness of strangers.