Why I Became a Living Organ Donor
Every nine minutes someone is added to the national transplant waiting list. Here are eight people who stepped up and gave the gift of life by donating an organ.
For people waiting for an organ transplant, each day is an exercise in hope. That’s because every nine minutes someone is added to the national transplant waiting list. As of April 6, 2021, 107,654 people were on the list, according to the United Network of Organ Sharing. But because of a shortage of organ donors, 17 people on the list die each day.
It is possible, however, to significantly reduce this number, especially since one organ donor has the potential to save eight lives. While people can register to become a deceased donor, a growing number of people are signing up to become living organ donors. In fact, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of living donor transplants in the U.S. climbed to more than 7,400. And even amid the COVID-19 outbreak, more than 5,000 transplants took place in 2020 because a living donor stepped up to give someone a second chance at life.
The special people below are among those who have become living organ donors at NewYork-Presbyterian, giving the ultimate gift of life by donating a portion of their livers or a kidney to family, friends, or even strangers in need at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Their reasons for becoming living donors range from feeling a deep sense of altruism to receiving a call from a sibling clinging to life to being inspired by a podcast. But the reward for donating an organ is universal, says altruistic kidney donor Hendrik Gerrits, 37: “Organ transplants cross racial divides, social divides, political divides. It’s such a visceral reminder of how we really are completely the same … That is a gift.”
Donor: William Lindberg, 28
The EMT decided to become an altruistic liver donor after he responded to a call for a patient with liver failure. “When I was young, I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer, and I remembered that he was the exact same jaundice color as this patient,” says Will. “The interaction pulled at my heartstrings.” His selfless act saved the life of then 2-year-old Ian Charles, who was battling a rare form of liver cancer. Says Ian’s mom, Dia Landy: “He gave us our baby back.”
Donor: Hendrik Gerrits, 37
After listening to a podcast about the impact one woman had by donating her kidney, Hendrik was inspired to do the same. In 2019, his altruistic organ donation set off a kidney transplant chain in the Kidney Paired Donation program at NewYork-Presbyterian that matched Hendrik with Kali Waters, 21, who was on dialysis for two years after her kidney from a previous transplant at age 6 began to fail.
Donor: Peter McKay, 38
Peter and his husband, Chris, adopted their daughter, Darcy, now 4, at birth. She was soon diagnosed with a genetic disease that necessitated a liver transplant. A match for Darcy, Peter donated part of his liver on June 30, 2015. (*Originally published on Oct. 3, 2017.)
Donor: Sara Kate Gillingham, 42
After Sara Kate read on Facebook about David Kane’s need for a liver — they’d known each other for many years — she felt compelled to donate. On Feb. 14, 2017, she donated a portion of her liver to David. (*Originally published on Oct. 3, 2017.)
Donor: Mark Chamberlain, 58
In April 2017, Mark donated a kidney to Joseph Cappuccilli, a fellow retired police officer, after he saw Cappuccilli’s wife’s plea for help on Facebook. They didn’t know each other at the time. (*Originally published on Oct. 3, 2017.)
Donor: Jared Wohl, 31
After many years of battling an autoimmune disease, it became clear that Cameron needed a liver transplant. Luckily, his brother Jared was a perfect match, and on Feb. 11, 2014, he donated a portion of his liver to Cameron. (*Originally published on Oct. 3, 2017.)
Donor: Gani Balogun, 29
After years of living with sickle cell anemia, Abi needed a kidney transplant. Fortunately, her sister Gani was a perfect match. She donated her kidney on March 8, 2012. (*Originally published on Oct. 3, 2017.)
Donor: Ned Brooks, 67
In 2015, Ned donated one of his kidneys to a stranger as part of a three-person kidney donation chain. Inspired, he created a foundation to help patients in need of a kidney find a compatible donor. (*Originally published on Oct. 3, 2017.)
Inspired? Learn more about organ donation at NewYork-Presbyterian or register to become an organ donor.