for her birthday, Nov 3

Carrie is giving a kidney to someone she's never met.

She wasn't a match for a friend who needs one, so she found another way. By donating to a stranger, she moves her friend up the list for a kidney of her own. Surgery is October 20. For her birthday, we're stringing her a necklace of gifts in her name.

Leave a birthday note
Any amount helps. You give on National Kidney Foundation's own secure page, so we never handle the money.
Carrie
Oct 20: surgery. Nov 3: cake.
every bead is $100 for National Kidney Foundation

Help us string her necklace

$25
of $5,000 · 1 gifts so far
50 beads to go
Nov 3
27 DAYS
0new registered donors1birthday notes
how one kidney helps two people

The voucher swap, in plain words

1
Carrie gives
Her kidney goes to a stranger who is a strong match and has been waiting.
2
Her friend moves up
Because Carrie donated, her friend gets priority for a matching kidney when one is found.
3
Two lives change
One act of generosity leads to two transplants, and sometimes a whole chain of them.

Her road to October 20

  1. Done
    The ask
    A friend needed a kidney. Carrie wasn't a match, so she found another way.
  2. Done
    Getting ready
    Months of training, early mornings and health checks to qualify as a donor.
  3. Done
    Approved
    Cleared by the transplant team and matched with a stranger.
  4. Next
    Oct 13
    Pre-op day. Final tests and one last check-in with the transplant team.
  5. Ahead
    Oct 20
    Surgery day. A kidney goes to someone she will likely never meet.
  6. Ahead
    Recovery
    A few days in hospital, then weeks of rest at home.
  7. Ahead
    Nov 3
    Her birthday, and the day we celebrate what she gave.
from the recovery couch

Updates from Steven and Carrie

Short notes before and after surgery. Carrie may add her own once she's back on her feet.

S
Steven
Oct 5
Why this page exists
Carrie's surgery is October 20 and her birthday is November 3. Instead of gifts, we're asking for support in her name: a bead for her necklace, a donor registration, or a note on her wall.
C
Carrie
After Oct 20
First update from recovery
Carrie will post here once she's home and resting. Check back after surgery day.

Living donation, briefly

~90,000
people in the U.S. waiting for a kidney
15–20 yrs
typical life of a living-donor kidney
1
kidney is all a healthy donor needs
Yes. Most living donors go on to live full, healthy lives. The remaining kidney grows and takes on more of the work.
feeling inspired?

Do what Carrie did, or something smaller

Register as a donorSign up as an organ, eye and tissue donor in a couple of minutes.registerme.org →Explore living donationLearn what being a living kidney donor involves.lkdn.org →How voucher donation worksThe program that lets one gift help a loved one later.kidneyregistry.org →Help for donor costsTravel and lodging help for living donors.livingdonorassistance.org →
Registered as a donor? Tell us and we'll count you in Carrie's total.
she'll read every one

Sign her birthday wall

Happy Happy Birthday! What a wonderful thing you are doing!
Mike Mckinney

Along the way

Carrie