Donor Diaries

Laurie Lee
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Monthly

Donor Diaries is a podcast that delves into the beauty and complexity of living organ donation. Tune in to hear extraordinary stories of people who choose to share their organs and give the gift of life. The world of kidney and organ donation is a powerful testament to kindness, love, and the human spirit.With over 90,000 individuals on the kidney transplant waitlist and about 13 people dying each day while waiting, the urgency is real. One in three Americans is at risk for chronic kidney disease, and one in nine already suffers from it, often unknowingly.Donor Diaries offers unfiltered narratives from living donors and candid insights from transplant experts, aiming to elevate the conversation around organ donation. Our goal is to bring this crucial issue to the forefront, so no patient has to wait in vain or suffer needlessly.

  1. 10h ago

    Eyes on Second Chances: Why One Transplant Center Said No, and Another Said Yes | EP 43

    Send us Fan Mail A living donor says "yes." The transplant center says "no." What happens next? This week on Donor Diaries, we sit down with Diane Hollingsworth, President and CEO of Eversight, a longtime leader in organ and tissue donation, and a two-time kidney transplant recipient. Diane has spent decades helping restore sight through cornea donation while also navigating the transplant journey herself, giving her a perspective that's both deeply personal and professionally unique. Diane's kidney disease was discovered during a high-risk pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. She shares what it was like balancing a newborn in the NICU, young children at home, and the reality of starting dialysis before receiving a life-changing kidney from her mother. That first transplant lasted an incredible 33 years. When it came time for a second transplant, Diane faced an obstacle many families don't expect. One transplant center declined her husband as a living donor, while another approved him. We discuss why transplant centers can make different decisions, how committee reviews influence the process, and how kidney paired exchange allowed her husband, Dave, to donate to a stranger so Diane could receive a compatible kidney before ever needing dialysis again. Along the way, we also talk about: What the transplant evaluation and listing process really looks likeWhy wait times vary depending on where you're listed and your blood typeHow researching transplant centers and asking questions can open new opportunitiesA beautiful real-life example of how kidney paired exchange changes livesThe emotional reality of recovering while your donor is in another hospitalThen we explore a topic we haven't covered before on Donor Diaries: cornea donation. As President and CEO of Eversight, Diane explains what cornea donation is, what tissue is actually transplanted, how eye banks recover and transport donated tissue, why there isn't a waitlist for corneal transplants in the United States, and how donated tissue is restoring sight through transplantation while also advancing research and medical education. Whether you're waiting for a transplant, considering becoming a living donor, or simply want to better understand how the donation system works, Diane's story is filled with practical advice, hope, and a reminder that persistence, advocacy, and asking the right questions can make all the difference. Links Eversight Diane Hollingsworth Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

  2. Jul 7

    Why People Say Yes to Living Donation | EP 42

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Donor Diaries, we sit down with Dr. Amy Waterman, a national leader in transplant health services research and patient engagement at Houston Methodist, to talk about what we know about living donors, and what we are still learning. Amy has spent her career studying how to help patients and living donors make informed, confident decisions. We talk about why long term living donor research takes decades, why comparison groups matter when studying donor outcomes, and why understanding donor motivations is so important when designing education and support programs. We also talk about something that does not get discussed enough: donors are not all the same. Amy shares three common donor motivation profiles and how understanding these differences helps transplant centers better support donors before and after surgery. We also talk about donor identity, why some donors stay deeply connected to the donor community while others quietly move on with their lives, and what both experiences can teach us. Finally, we talk about what helps right now. Peer mentoring. Reducing financial barriers. Education that respects that different donors are motivated by different things. And the growing role of digital storytelling, which allows people who are considering donation to hear real voices and real stories in a low pressure way. This is a thoughtful conversation about research, decision making, and the very human reasons people choose to become living donors. Dr. Amy Waterman is a national leader in transplant health services research and serves as Director of Patient Engagement and Education at Houston Methodist. Her work focuses on improving access to transplant, supporting informed decision making, and developing education and engagement tools for transplant patients and living donors. She has led numerous research initiatives, including digital storytelling and patient education programs, and has received nearly $30 million in federal grant funding. Dr. Waterman has authored more than 125 peer reviewed publications and has been recognized by the American Society of Transplantation as a Clinician of Distinction. Links The Waterman Lab website Explore Transplant Living Donor Collective Livingdonorstories.org Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

  3. Jun 2

    A World Record Kidney: 58 Years and Still Going | EP 41

    Send us Fan Mail Denice received her father’s kidney at age 13, decades before modern transplant protocols were common and pediatric dialysis existed. Fifty-eight years later, she is still thriving and using her story to inspire others to be donors. Denice reflects on a childhood shaped by loss, a diagnosis that changed everything, and a mother who refused to accept no as an answer. She shares the extraordinary circumstances that led to her transplant, paints a vivid portrait of her donor father, and opens up about how grief and gratitude have coexisted throughout her life. With clarity and compassion, Denice also talks about being intersex, reminding us that biology is more complex than simple labels and that acceptance can be life changing. We explore why her transplant may have lasted so long, including an unusually good match, consistent habits, and decades on azathioprine, along with the medical challenges that came with lifelong immunosuppression. Denice speaks candidly about aging with a transplant, staying active, and continuing to show up fully in the world. What resonates most is her call to action. Denice invites more healthy people to consider non designated living donation. She describes the halo effect donors often experience, the relief it brings to recipients and families, and the quiet joy that comes from turning courage into connection. Along the way, we honor the legacy of long-term transplant pioneers like Butch Newman and Guinness record holder Joanna Rempel, placing Denice’s journey within a larger story of medical progress and human generosity. If you have ever wondered whether one decision can ripple outward and change countless lives, this conversation offers a powerful answer. Listen, share with someone who needs hope, and if it moves you, subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more people can find these lifesaving stories. Links Ventura County Star Article UCLA Article Denice on YouTube Denice’s 2025 Presentation for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) About Fraser Syndrome Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

  4. May 5

    DOVE: Changing How Veterans Find Kidney Donors | EP 40

    Send us Fan Mail Being told you need a kidney transplant is overwhelming. Being told you need to go find your own living donor while managing dialysis can feel impossible. For many veterans, that is exactly how the system works today. In this episode, we sit down with Sharyn Kreitzer, a living kidney donor and longtime transplant professional with nearly three decades of experience in end stage organ disease. Sharyn began her career as a dialysis social worker and went on to work across transplant social work, outreach, development, and administration in both private sector programs and the VA system. In 2015, she launched the first VA transplant program on the East Coast at the Bronx VA. It was there that she saw a gap that could not be ignored, and in 2020 she founded DOVE (Donor Outreach for Veterans) to bring a different kind of support to veterans navigating the transplant process. We talk about the real barriers veterans face when it comes to living donation. Access to transplant centers is limited. Travel can be a major burden for both recipients and donors. Criteria for donor approval can vary widely from one center to another, leaving willing donors confused and discouraged. Sharyn shares how DOVE steps in once a veteran is evaluated and listed, helping them build a clear, shareable profile that turns a vague need into something people can understand and act on. A big part of this conversation is about how we engage potential donors. Instead of pushing people straight into long and invasive medical forms, DOVE starts with education and conversation. It is a simple shift, but one that keeps more people engaged and open to learning. We also talk about the importance of second opinions, and how a “no” from one center does not always mean the end of the road. Throughout the episode, we come back to the idea of community directed donation. Sharyn shares how DOVE was inspired by models like Renewal and what the broader transplant community can learn from groups that have normalized living donation. When communities share the work, more people step forward and more lives are saved. Sharyn’s work has been recognized across the transplant field, including honors from TRIO, LiveOnNY, the American Association of Kidney Patients, and an innovation award from United Network for Organ Sharing for mobile lab outreach during COVID. She is also helping lead the first ever U.S. Armed Forces Transplant Team at the 2026 Transplant Games in Denver. If you care about veterans, kidney disease, or the future of living donation, this conversation offers a perspective that is both honest and hopeful. DOVE Website Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook Connect with Laurie Lee GiftWorks Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

  5. Apr 7

    The Transplant Games of America: Where Donation Comes Alive | EP 39

    Send us Fan Mail You can’t fully understand organ donation until you see what it makes possible. Parents reaching milestones they once thought they might miss. Grandparents meeting grandchildren. Families holding both grief and pride at the same time.  In this episode of Donor Diaries, we take you to the Transplant Games of America, happening June 18 to 23 in Denver. Often described as a “mini Olympics,” the Games bring together transplant recipients, living donors, and donor families for a week that feels more like a family reunion than a competition. Laurie is joined by three voices who represent every side of the donation story. Bill Ryan, donor dad and President and CEO of the Transplant Life Foundation, shares how decades of experience producing large-scale events led him to steward this powerful gathering and why it continues to grow.Mark McIntosh, founder of Victory Productions and chair of the 2026 Denver host committee, opens up about living with amyloidosis, surviving kidney failure, and receiving a life-saving transplant in 2024. Now a longtime media personality and motivational speaker, he is using his platform to drive awareness around kidney health and living donation.And Kathleen Hostert, living kidney donor and co-founder of Life’s Short. Live It., shares her deeply personal story of donating a kidney to her husband Craig and walking alongside him through transplant, cancer, and the meaningful years they might not have otherwise had.Together, they explore what makes the Games so unique, why living donation is a practical and powerful response to the organ shortage, and how this community creates space for both celebration and healing. You’ll also hear what to expect in Denver, from competitions and ceremonies to the moments in between that are harder to describe but impossible to forget. Kathleen shares updates on a large-scale gathering designed to bring living donors and recipients together in one place, inspired by global milestones and grounded in the idea that generosity can ripple further than we imagine. With National Donate Life Month as the backdrop, this episode is an invitation to move beyond awareness and into action. Links Transplant Life Foundation Transplant Games of America Website World Record Attempt Details Victory Productions Drive for Five Craig and Katheen’s Walk Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

  6. Mar 3

    Workplace Support That Changes Everything | 38

    Send us Fan Mail What if a simple HR policy could help save someone’s life? In this episode, Brooke Iarkowski, Transplant Community Program Manager at the American Society of Transplantation, shares how paid leave transforms the living donor journey from a financial gamble into a supported reality. Brooke brings over ten years of experience in the transplant and donation field and a deeply personal connection to the mission. Witnessing both her mother and brother receive kidney transplants inspired her commitment, and in October 2023, she became a non-directed living kidney donor herself. Her lived experience gives her a unique perspective on the patient, donor, and family caregiver journey. We explore how Brooke leads national initiatives that center the patient and donor voice, including the Power2Save campaign and the Living Donor Circle of Excellence. She explains how the Circle of Excellence helps companies adopt clear, humane policies that provide eight to twelve weeks fully paid leave for donor evaluation, surgery, and recovery. Brooke highlights why the business case is strong: medical costs are billed to the recipient’s insurance, utilization rates are low, and company culture benefits are significant. Thoughtful HR policies remove the number one barrier to donation (lost wages) while signaling leadership support for employees who step up to save a life. This conversation also addresses the mental and emotional aftermath of donation. Brooke speaks candidly about post-donation fatigue and a brief depressive period, and how being seen as a whole person made all the difference. Realistic expectations and proper support make donation safer and more sustainable for everyone. If you have ever thought, “I would donate, but I cannot afford the time,” or if you are a leader looking for a high-impact, low-cost benefit that saves lives, this episode is for you. Learn how to bring the Circle of Excellence to your workplace, get practical steps for starting the HR conversation, and hear why thoughtful policies can turn goodwill into a kidney or liver that moves someone off the waitlist. Links Circle of Excellence Power to Save American Society of Transplantation (AST) Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

  7. Feb 3

    From One Kidney To Many | EP 37

    Send us Fan Mail One kidney can change many lives—if we let it start a chain. We sit down with Dr. John Friedewald, transplant nephrologist at Northwestern Medicine, to unpack a breakthrough: using a deceased donor kidney to initiate a living donor chain that moves multiple recipients off the waitlist and ultimately delivers a living kidney back to a service member at Walter Reed. We break down how kidney paired donation works, why non-directed donors supercharge matching, and what changes when a deceased donor becomes the chain starter. Dr. Friedewald explains the military-share pathway, where high-quality deceased kidneys are screened for parity with prospective living donor outcomes, then routed via directed donation to a match in exchange. The recipient’s incompatible living donor pays the gift forward, extending the chain until an unmatched donor returns a living kidney to Walter Reed. Along the way, we dig into logistics, OPO coordination, timing windows, and why this process fits within familiar directed donation workflows. Fairness and outcomes are front and center. We address concerns about blood type O equity, share early data showing more than double the impact per deceased donor, and discuss how programs monitor blood type flows to avoid disadvantaging anyone on the deceased list. For patients, we explore the real tradeoff between waiting for a theoretical living match versus accepting a filtered, high-quality deceased offer today—especially when months more on dialysis raises risk. With lessons from Italy’s regional rollout and leadership from centers like Northwestern and Michigan, this approach is poised to scale and become a standard tool that magnifies each gift and shortens waits. Subscribe, share this episode with someone curious about organ donation innovation, and leave a review with your biggest question about deceased donor–initiated chains. Your feedback helps more people find these life-saving ideas. Links Northwestern Medicine Transplant The Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation Walter Reed Transplant Military Share Deceased Donor Initiated Chains (American Journal of Transplantation)  Utilization of Deceased Donor Kidneys to Initiate Living Donor Chains (American Journal of Transplant) Kidney Paired Donation Chains Initiated by Deceased Donors Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

  8. Jan 6

    Choosing Life: Renal Warriors Wilson & Amy | EP 36

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Donor Diaries, we sit down with transplant recipient Wilson Du and living kidney donor Amy McCann, two people whose stories intertwine through determination, community, and the belief that choosing life is a daily practice. Wilson spent five and a half years on dialysis before receiving his transplant in 2022. After a doctor told him he needed to lose 100 pounds or forget about a transplant, he confronted the shock, the shame, and the painful first steps toward change. The words choose life stayed with him and became the foundation for a journey that carried him from a ten-foot walk to an Olympic-distance triathlon and a mission to help others Outshine Their Pain. Today, Wilson is The Renal Warrior, inspiring patients to fight for their second chance. Amy first heard Wilson’s story at their community gym and immediately volunteered to be tested as his donor. She was denied for BMI and could have stepped away, but she chose to turn the rejection into resolve. Nearly 100 pounds later, another donor matched with Wilson, yet Amy kept going. She donated her kidney to a stranger on her birthday, transforming her journey into a gift she had fought hard to give. At The Mission HQ, she now leads the Warrior Program, supporting patients and community members who walk through the doors looking for hope. Together, Wilson and Amy share how Mission HQ became a space where dialysis patients, survivors, and neighbors can move, breathe, and rebuild without judgment. Their message is simple and powerful. Consistency matters more than intensity. Rest when you need to, and then keep going. Small steps count. Hope is built one choice at a time. Links: The Mission HQ Donor Diaries Website Donor Diaries on Facebook GiftWorks Website Connect with Laurie Lee

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Donor Diaries is a podcast that delves into the beauty and complexity of living organ donation. Tune in to hear extraordinary stories of people who choose to share their organs and give the gift of life. The world of kidney and organ donation is a powerful testament to kindness, love, and the human spirit.With over 90,000 individuals on the kidney transplant waitlist and about 13 people dying each day while waiting, the urgency is real. One in three Americans is at risk for chronic kidney disease, and one in nine already suffers from it, often unknowingly.Donor Diaries offers unfiltered narratives from living donors and candid insights from transplant experts, aiming to elevate the conversation around organ donation. Our goal is to bring this crucial issue to the forefront, so no patient has to wait in vain or suffer needlessly.

Information

  • Creator
    Laurie Lee
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Donor Diaries
  • Show Website
    Donor Diaries