Donor Diaries

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Sue Rees returns to share the revolutionary donor protections offered by the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD) that are making kidney donation more accessible and equitable for everyone. As Chief Operating Officer with over 25 years of transplant experience, Sue walks us through the comprehensive "Donor Protect" program designed to eliminate financial barriers while safeguarding donors' futures.

We explore how the Alliance reimburses lost wages (up to $10,000), covers travel expenses for both donors and their support persons, and even provides dependent and pet care assistance. Sue explains their innovative "Home Advantage"...

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What happens when a transplant surgeon, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, and a willingness to trust strangers come together? A revolution in kidney donation that has saved 20,000 lives and counting.

Meet Dr. Michael Rees and Sue Rees, the power couple behind the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation. In this captivating first installment of our two-part season finale, we journey back to 2007 when kidney paired exchange was in its infancy and most surgeons believed all transplant surgeries had to happen simultaneously to prevent donors from backing out.

Dr. Rees takes us...

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A spiritual calling, a kidney voucher, and two pastors reconnecting after decades apart—this is no ordinary transplant story.

When Jim Pearl was diagnosed with Fabry's disease in 2004, he had no idea his journey would lead him back to Jeff Barker, a seminary friend from the '90s. After five years on dialysis, Jim clung to his mantra: "In the waiting, God is working." Meanwhile, Jeff saw Jim's Facebook post and felt a spiritual nudge to step forward, despite knowing little about kidney donation.

Though not a direct match, Je...

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What if a casual Sunday scroll through Facebook could save a life? In this heartfelt episode of Donor Diaries, Rich and Cali share the extraordinary story of how a social media post led to a life-saving kidney transplant and an unexpected lifelong connection.

Rich, living with polycystic kidney disease, feared the wait for a deceased donor and the possibility of having to go on dialysis, and took a leap of faith by sharing his story online. Cali, grieving the loss of her brother to the same disease, stumbled upon Rich’s po...

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Join us on Donor Diaries as we welcome Dr. Harry Wilkins, CEO of Gift of Hope, who transitioned from a 36-year career as a trauma surgeon to leading an organ procurement organization in 2020. With his unique perspective as both a physician and an industry leader, Dr. Wilkins offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the complex and deeply personal world of deceased organ donation. From the moment of injury to the life-changing decisions families face, he sheds light on the critical role OPOs play in guiding and supporting donor families through the process.

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Join us as we welcome the extraordinary Mike Lollo, a former NYPD detective whose journey led him to become a passionate advocate for kidney donation. Mike's life took an inspiring turn in 2018 when he donated his kidney  to a stranger.  He shares his remarkable story with us, reflecting on how chance encounters with people like Ned Brooks shaped his mission to transform lives through the power of living donation. This episode highlights Mike's dedication and the profound impact his advocacy has had on individuals like Tommy Alexander and Mark Weiner.

We al...

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Join us as we sit down with Marilyn Day, a founding member of Transplant Village and a two-time kidney recipient who has dedicated over a decade to guiding others through the transplant journey.

In this episode, Marilyn shares how her personal story highlights the transformative power of sharing your journey to inspire action and find living donors within your social network. Discover how platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become invaluable tools for connecting patients with potential donors—reuniting people with long-lost connections, activating supportive family members who simply didn’t know...

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In this episode, Anthony Cernera, a three-time living organ donor, opens up about his transformative journey of giving and personal healing. His story began with a simple Facebook post that sparked a deep desire to help others, leading him to donate a portion of his liver, kidney, and stem cells. These selfless acts not only changed the lives of his recipients but also had a profound impact on Anthony's own mental health, helping him navigate struggles with depression and addiction.

Anthony shares his powerful connections with his recipients, including Lance, his...

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What would compel an American living in Germany to navigate a labyrinth of legal and cultural barriers to donate a kidney to a stranger? Join us as we uncover the incredible story of Will Johnson, whose altruistic journey sheds light on the stark contrasts between organ donation practices in the US and Germany. In this episode, recorded in a charming house near Munich, we reveal Germany's current regulations surrounding kidney exchange and the low rates of living donations that Will encountered in his quest to give the gift of life.

Embark...

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How old is too old to save a life? At the age of 74, Tom Duncan defied societal norms to become America's oldest non-directed living kidney donor, and his story will change the way you think about aging and altruism. Join us for an intimate conversation from his serene home in Ruidoso, New Mexico, where Tom recounts the journey that began with a friend's struggle with dialysis and led him to a life-altering decision. Discover the rigorous evaluation process, the misconceptions about age limits, and the emotional benefits of donation that go far beyond...

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Imagine stepping into a world where giving the gift of life is made more accessible to all.  That's the transformative journey we embark on with Ruby Rorty and Rachel Watson in the latest episode of Donor Diaries, as they share the details of a program called Project Donor. Ruby, from Stephen Levitt’s Center for RISC, shares the program's genesis and its profound impact on the healthcare sector's donor eligibility dilemma. With a focus on mutable health issues, this initiative paves the way for potential donors like Rachel, who recounts her heartening story of...

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Imagine opening your heart to a complete stranger in one of the most profound ways possible. That's exactly what our guests, Josiah Wolfson and Kat Gordon, did when they each made the life-affirming decision to donate a kidney to someone they'd never met. Their compelling stories of self-discovery and transformation are sure to resonate deeply, as they recount the moments that led them to donate.

 Josiah, a former lawyer turned spiritual nomad, describes an epic pandemic filled with change and growth, where the serenity of crafting a cob house in South A...

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LJ Dong, also known as LJ the Medium, embodies resilience and determination in her journey with Nutcracker Syndrome. Despite facing significant health challenges, LJ's refusal to discard her kidney led her on a remarkable path toward organ donation advocacy.

As the American Miss National Mrs. for 2024, LJ leverages her platform to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation. Her diverse background as an ordained Interfaith Minister, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Sports Nutritionist, Certified Motivational Speaker, Reiki Practitioner, and author underscores her holistic approach to health and wellness.

In...

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Imagine a world where living kidney donors are compensated for their life-saving gift. A world where a severe shortage of kidneys doesn't result in the preventable deaths of over a million Americans. In this riveting dialogue, we're joined by four non-directed kidney donors - Ned Brooks, Elaine Perlman, Dr. Matt Harmody, and Cody Maynard who are the founding members of the Coalition to Modify NOTA.  This team will help us uncover the implications of the National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) of 1984. Together, they propose a life-altering solution that could end the kidney transplant w...

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Diane Lee Reporting Live with 1 Less Kidney

Diane Lee is an Emmy nominated anchor and two-time Emmy Award winning reporter with more than 20 years of broadcast news experience.

Diane is currently the 7NEWS Consumer Anchor. Her exclusive reports focus on warning them about scams as well as highlighting money saving tips and investigating consumer issues. Diane’s “Here to Help” focus gives her a platform to assist viewers with any issues or questions they have, something that aligns with her desire to uplift others (a value that led he...

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There’s a wide range of reasons why kidney transplant is available to some, but not all.  Imagine the lives that could be saved worldwide if we organized a globally inclusive kidney exchange.  What could be possible if we could break down borders and share kidneys with other countries?

Meet Dr. Satish Nadig, Chief of Transplant, and the Director of the Comprehensive Transplant Center at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.  He’s an innovator and visionary, and in this episode, we get to pick his brain to learn about Northwestern and the small n...

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Exchanging kidneys is a complicated process that involves multiple collaborations between kidney patients, living donors, transplant centers, insurance companies, airlines and more.  It’s truly remarkable if you stop to think about the number of people and organizations that need to come together to make 1 paired exchange possible.  We only started exchanging kidneys between non-compatible pairs a little over 20 years ago, so it’s a somewhat new process.  Have you ever wondered how this was made possible?

Meet Nobel Laureate Al Roth who is an economist and Stanford University professor.  Al designs...

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Meet Phillip Hanks, a walking miracle!  

Philip had his first liver transplant in 2007 and lived an active life. Then in 2019, extreme pain sent him back to the hospital where he received horrifying news. Not only did he need a new liver, but he needed a new stomach, intestines, pancreas, and kidney.  Two different transplant centers turned him away before Indiana University accepted his case and agreed to try the risky surgery which basically involved removing all of his organs and replacing them with donor organs.  

Phillip not only survived but...

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Do you ever stop to think about the effectiveness of the time and attention you put towards making a difference?   We all have the power to make the world a better place, but what could be possible if we all put more thought into maximizing our personal and financial resources?

Welcome to the world of Effective Altruism (EA) with non-directed kidney donor Dylan Matthews, a senior correspondent from Vox’s section Future Perfect.  Future Perfect reports on people and institutions trying to do the most good for the world they can.  Kidne...

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Have you ever wondered why some people have a powerful drive to donate a kidney or liver to a stranger, while others would never consider such a thing?

Professor Abigail Marsh has spent over a decade answering this question through studies on topics such as altruism, empathy, and the depths of human nature.  She answers complex questions such as:  How do we understand what others think and feel? What drives us to help other people? What prevents us from harming them

Abby’s Laboratory on Social & Affective Neuroscience is loca...

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In 2018 Martha donated a kidney to a woman she read about in the newspaper. She co-authored a book, Kidney to Share, published by Cornell University Press, about that experience and has given presentations at more than 35 transplant clinics, medical schools, and bioethics centers on her experience as a living kidney donor. 

In today’s episode, we discuss donor disincentives- the factors that can make it difficult for somebody to donate a kidney, even though they may really want to.  Martha breaks these disincentives into 3 categories: logistics, psychosocial and financial.  The top 3 disin...

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According to United Network of Organ Sharing, only 133 living donors in the entire U.S. have donated both a kidney and a portion of their liver to two different recipients.  A few years back, this was very uncommon, but more recently, we have been seeing it in the news more and more.  Many transplant centers won’t even entertain the idea of letting someone donate twice, however other transplant centers are taking a second look, and essentially asking, well, why not?  If the donor is emotionally and physically fit to donate a second time...

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Welcome to Season 2 of Donor Diaries!

To kick of season 2, we are going to jump into some basics about kidney donation- some helpful Q&A for anyone out there who may identify as donor-curious.  You’ll also get a peak onto Season 2, and hear about some of our upcoming guests!
Kelly Schmitt, Patty Graham and Emily Wise are not only living kidney donors themselves, but they work full time educating potential donors through a program called Donor Connect, a donor mentor program facilitated by the National Kidney Donation Organization.  
This...

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Welcome to Donor Diaries’ Season 1 closer!
 
In Season 1 of Donor Diaries, we covered a range of topics.  We covered how to ask somebody for a kidney, the pains and history of dialysis, how to manifest a kidney, kidney chains, living donor protections, the racial disparity that exists in our current transplant system, the economic value of a kidney, kidney donor athletes who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Insider’s guide to living donation, and the exciting world of bone marrow.  Phew, what a great year!  In Episode 12 we revisit some highlights from Season 1...

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Meet donor extraordinaire Jeramy Davies.  He’s not only a bone marrow expert, but he is a two-time donor, having donated both bone marrow and a kidney to the same person.  This in itself is unique to have donated twice, but so is his story.  Jeramy and his recipient Kelly have not only crushed her Hodgkin's Lymphoma together, but they have created a lifetime bond through the process.

For the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, a cure exists. They can get a bone...

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Meet Bobby McLaughlin, Tracey Hulick, Steve Wilson and Patty Graham from the Kidney Donor Athletes (KDA) who are in Tanzania right now getting ready to climb Mt Kilimanjaro with 18 other living kidney donors.  The coolest part?  They summit on March 10 which is World Kidney Day!

KDA is a community of kidney donors who have a commitment to moving their bodies for overall health and wellness. They cover the entire spectrum of athletes from the majority who do what we can when we can, to those who are mo...

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It’s illegal to buy or sell a kidney in all countries, except Iran.  But imagine if there was a waitlist of people waiting to donate a kidney, versus a waitlist of people waiting to receive a lifesaving transplant.  Could this be possible if the government financially compensated kidney donors?  What if we not only removed the disincentives to donate, but added an incentive?  What is the financial worth of a kidney, and what would donors need to be paid to ensure they are not exploited?  Why is it OK to sell sperm, eggs, b...

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A transplant isn’t an event that happens exclusively to the organ recipient.  It also has a major impact on the family of a recipient or organ donor and often results in complex situations and relationship dynamics.  

Carol Offen and Betsy Crais are co-authors of "The Insider's Guide to Living Kidney Donation: Everything You Need to Know If You Give (or Get) the Greatest Gift.”  “Our book includes much-needed nontechnical guidance for living donors and kidney patients considering or dealing with a transplant, from medical information to the impact on family relations...

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Race Matters with Dr. Dinee Simpson

Plainly stated, white people are four times more likely to receive a kidney transplant than an African-American people.  And, Asian-Americans and Native Americans, have more than double the likelihood of receiving a kidney transplant than African-Americans.  This is the case despite African-Americans having higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure than other racial cohorts.  These are the health conditions that put people at further risk for organ failures.  

According to UNOS, once a patient is on the waitlist, the system poli...

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Episode 6 features Laurie Lee’s family transplant story.  Meet Laurie’s dad, Dan Dickinson, who is not only a liver transplant recipient, but Laurie’s partner in a decade’s worth of transplant initiatives.  This dynamic duo will interview each other to bring you a touching transplant story that started over 20 years ago when Dan passed out on a plane!  Find out how a liver transplant for Dan ultimately lead to a kidney donation for Laurie!

Dan Dickinson is founder and serves as Chairman of Transplant Village, bringing his years of business ac...

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Episode 5 comes to you from a giant porch swing on Martha’s Vineyard, where host Laurie Lee is spending the weekend with over a dozen living kidney donors and living kidney donor advocates from the National Kidney Donation Organization.  

Meet Cody Maynard, Steve Wilson, and Terri Thede, all non-directed kidney donors from different parts of the country for a casual conversation under the vineyard stars.  Find out what happens when somebody donates a kidney without an intended recipient.  Do they get to meet the recipient?  Do they want to meet the recipi...

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Join Laurie Lee and Ned Brooks as they discuss kidney chains, lightning strikes, Freakonomics, and kidney vouchers!

Ned Brooks is a retired businessman who donated his kidney as a non-directed donor in 2015, at the age of 65, for the purpose of starting a kidney chain of three transplants. His kidney went to a young mother in Colorado. Ned was so taken by the experience that he started National Kidney Donation Organization (NKDO) for the purpose of helping prospective living donors to make their donation in as effective a manner as possible and...

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In most cases, when someone steps forward as a living donor, nobody actually asks them to donate a kidney.  Usually, the donor hears the story of someone needing a kidney and makes the decision to donate without being asked.  

The Living Kidney Donors Network (LKDN) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization established in 2007 by Harvey Mysel whose primary mission is to educate people in need of a kidney transplant about living kidney donation and help them communicate their need to family members and friends. LKDN also has a program that educates the pu...

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Who shall live?

Meet senior transplant coordinator Doug Penrod.  Each of our podcasts feature either a living donor, or a transplant expert.  Doug is both an expert and a living donor which makes him the first Donor Diaries Double Dipper!  Join Doug and Laurie as they discuss the controversial aspects of dialysis in America and what is being done to ensure that dialysis patients understand their option to get a kidney transplant.  Find out what a “God Committee” is and learn how they determined who would live or die in the e...

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How do you ask somebody for a kidney?

Meet Johnna, a Chicago area woman with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD).  Johnna is in stage 5 kidney failure and needs a kidney transplant.  She can wait 5-7 years for a deceased donor kidney to become available, or she can find a friend or family member to become a living kidney donor on her behalf, and get a new kidney right now.  Find out what happens when Johnna’s longtime friend Mary decides to step forward to be tested as a match!

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