Recently, I had the opportunity to join The Gifted Life Podcast to discuss living kidney donation, transplant advocacy, and the personal journey that led me to donate a kidney to a stranger in 2017. The podcast focuses on organ donation and transplant awareness, making it an ideal platform to talk about the importance of living kidney donation and the urgent need to reduce the kidney transplant waitlist in the United States.
During our conversation, I shared how my perspective on kidney disease began decades earlier when my father developed kidney failure and spent nine years on dialysis. Watching the physical and emotional toll of dialysis left a lasting impression on me and ultimately influenced my decision to become a non-directed living kidney donor. That experience reinforced my belief that living kidney donation is one of the most powerful ways an individual can save a life.
We also discussed the broader realities of kidney transplantation. More than 90,000 Americans are currently waiting for a kidney transplant, yet many people remain unaware that healthy individuals can donate a kidney and return to normal, active lives. Living donor kidneys typically last 15 to 20 years—often twice as long as kidneys from deceased donors—making living kidney donation the gold standard treatment for kidney failure.
Part of my effort to raise awareness involved joining four other living kidney donors in a record-setting expedition to climb the highest point in all 50 states. Completed in just 41 days, the journey demonstrated that kidney donors can continue to pursue demanding physical goals while advocating for others. The story of that expedition and the broader mission behind it are captured in my book, Ascending America.
My goal in conversations like this is simple: increase awareness, reduce misconceptions about kidney donation, and help more patients move from dialysis to transplant. If you are interested in organ donation, kidney transplant advocacy, or the impact of living donors, I encourage you to listen to this episode of The Gifted Life Podcast.
In Ascending America, I share the full journey—climbing the highest peak in all 50 states alongside four fellow living kidney donors, pushing through brutal conditions, and challenging the limits people assume come with donation. More than an adventure story, it’s a powerful look at the science, resilience, and life-changing impact of living kidney donation.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s truly possible after saving a life—or how one decision can create a ripple effect that impacts dozens more—this book is for you.
👉 Get your copy of Ascending America today and rethink what’s possible.
