04/03/2026
Donate Life Month: Donor Stories
To celebrate and raise awareness, we will be sharing amazing stories from our donors and recipients throughout the month.
Jen and Missy
"My name is Jen and I donated my left kidney on June 17, 2024. Mine was a directed donation, meaning I knew my recipient. Missy was a daycare teacher for our girls and was born with only one kidney. I had seen a few of her Facebook posts about her failing kidney and her dialysis experience. One of them mentioned that her blood type was A+ (same as me!). I messaged her in February of 2024 and said, "let's talk!"
I spent a day in March undergoing extensive medical tests (kidney function test, CT scan, cardio workup, more blood draws, etc.). A couple of weeks later, my husband and I met with the entire transplant team to ensure I was fully informed and ready for the procedure. They presented all my results to the transplant board, and in April I got the call that I was approved! My surgery was on a Monday, and I was discharged from the hospital two days later. It was a laparoscopic robotic procedure, so recovery was much quicker than if it would've been an open procedure.
These days I am feeling great, and the only lifestyle change I've had to make is to avoid NSAIDs. Other than that, things are just the same as they were when I had two kidneys. Missy is also doing amazing, and her labs are looking better all the time. No more dialysis means gaining precious time back that she now spends with her young son. Please consider being a living donor. You will change someone's life!"
