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Wife to give husband Valentine's kidney

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STONY BROOK, N.Y., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- A New York woman has the ultimate Valentine's Day gift for her husband -- one of her kidneys.

Joe and Leona Agnello of Islip Terrace are scheduled for surgery Wednesday at Stony Brook Hospital on Long Island, Newsday reported.

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"Most women give their hearts for Valentine's Day," Joe Agnello said. "I tell her she's a little confused. She's giving a kidney."

Joe Agnello learned he was suffering from kidney failure shortly after the couple's marriage four years ago. His brother and sister were unable to donate, and Leona suggested that she be tested -- because she would "like to keep her kidney in the family."

While Leona Agnello is not a perfect match, she is close enough that doctors believe the donation will work, given advances in medication to prevent organ rejection. Doctors say two people who are not blood relatives have about a 10-percent chance of matching well enough for donation.

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