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Kidney Donor Athletes
Athlete Archive
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Sophia!
The story of how someone out there is walking around with a slightly used part of me starts back in 2011. I was driving home from work, listening to This American Life. The title/theme of that show was the “Ten Commandments.” That’s when I first heard Chaya...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Megan!
My name is Megan Anderson and I am a wife, mother, Air Force veteran and teacher living in the Seattle area. I donated my kidney on July 17, 2019, to a stranger through the paired exchange program. Up to this point in my life, I would say I was very...
Catching up with Mimi!
It has been 3.5 years since I donated my kidney to another person for my mom to receive a good match for her. Although being a kidney donor has become a big part of who I am and something I am very proud of, I can honestly say that as more time passes it feels like a...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Danny!
Hello, my name is Danny Ledesma and I donated my spare kidney through the paired-exchanged program at UC Health in Denver, Colorado on October 10, 2018. Shortly after my Grandfather's retirement (I refer to him hereafter as "Pop"), his health began to rapidly decline,...
Benefits of Being a Donor – Steve Tucker
It has now been 16 months since I said goodbye to my spare, and sent it to live with a very nice gentleman in Bainbridge Island, Washington. I can honestly say, after much reflection, that the past year and a half has been the best time of my life, and that the...
Update From Clinton!
(If you haven't followed along on Clinton's kidney donation journey be sure to click here to get caught up!) Time flies when you are having fun! It has been a little over a year since my kidney donation, and so much has happened after my last...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Karen!
I’ve always been that girl who played just about every sport that was available to her. When I was little my days were spent on either softball fields or volleyball courts. As I got older, I turned to activities like karate, pilates, and running. I am now the owner of...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Shawni!
I have been a cheerleader, dancer, and performer since I made the varsity cheerleading squad in 1995. I have always loved being active and using my energy to motivate, inspire, and cheer for others. I have been a youth cheer coach and dance team...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Brandie!
Before I decided to donate my spare, I played hockey 5 days a week, ran at least 1 half marathon a quarter, and played softball every Sunday. I have always been an athlete and I never wanted to change my lifestyle. October 2017, I saw a post in one of my Christian...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Ashlie!
I’m not a very superstitious person or one that really believes everything happens for a reason, but every once in a while it just feels like things are falling into the place they belong. One evening around Halloween in 2018, my husband and I were living with my...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Jose!
Before my kidney donation, I was quite active. I was consistently running 2 to 3 miles per day and engaging in strength training, which has been a passion of mine since I was in college. I also participated in the BolderBoulder 10k every year. Actually, one of...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Dennis!
I was overweight and lived an unhealthy lifestyle throughout most of my adult years. In 2013, after hearing that my sister, Mae, was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease, I decided it was time to make a change. Results from my first diet attempts were mixed, a series...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Amy!
It all began after a run. I often “ran” into my aunt and uncle because they lived above me in our Chicago apartment building, but this time I wasn’t greeted with a very happy, “hello”. Panting and gassed, I tried my best to gather the information they relayed to...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Amy!
I never thought much about kidneys or organ donation. In fact, It was completely off my radar until we realized that my husband might have a gene mutation that inevitably leads to kidney disease. Nate, my husband, had two uncles with kidney disease who received...
Meet Kidney Donor Athlete, Sarah!
As a youth and young adult, I faced some significant health challenges. Throughout, I always thought of myself as an athlete, but I didn’t have exposure to any particular sport, and I didn’t know where I fit in to the athlete community. In college, I...