The NKR was founded in 2007 by the Hil family, after their youngest daughter lost her kidney function at age ten.

[citation needed] The NKR's second swap started with the shipment of a kidney from Cornell to UCLA School of Medicine.

This second chain crossed the country three times, facilitating eight total transplants at UCLA, Cornell, Stanford University School of Medicine, and California Pacific Medical Center.

[2] In 2012, the NKR broke the world record for the largest kidney swap by organizing a 30-deep chain involving 60 donors and recipients.

[8] Three years later, on March 26, the next record breaking chain was set into motion by Kathy Hart, a 48-year-old attorney from Minneapolis.