Stephanie

I donated a kidney to a stranger on July 28, 2015.

I decided to donate to help better the quality of life of someone in need. I read a story online of a family member turning to social media to find a donor for her loved one. I was a match and approved to donate to her, however months later her antibodies changed and we were no longer a match. After she received her life saving gift from a cadaver donor, I decided to continue the journey with the same transplant center in Florida and had them match me with someone on their list.

As far as resources to learn from before surgery, I connected with a few people who had donated and the founder of Because I Can Project was a huge support throughout my process. I was in my final year of college and donated during my summer vacation, so everything was pretty smooth. Mixed reactions. My family was definitely concerned but always supported me.

The pain is only temporary. The gift we get in return is all worth it, that is the gift of seeing the outcome and how much your recipient's life will change.

The opportunity to be a living kidney donor has given me a reason for living. I have met amazing people throughout my journey. I met my recipient 2 weeks after surgery. We went almost six months where we texted each other everyday. She is my soul sister. She is family. Although we live in two different states, we try to talk/see each other as often as we can. We have a connection/bond that feels like we have known each other forever.

Location: Dallas, TX