When a close friend of mine became a living donor, it occurred to me that I could, too! So that’s what I did. And now I’m among over 95% of living donors who say they would do it again.

The night before the transplant years ago, I was deemed not healthy enough to donate. Though disappointed, I nonetheless see it as proof of the care taken with donors. And I’ve gone on to promote the cause of living donation ever since, knowing the health of the donor overrides any other consideration.

There was never a doubt in my mind about whether I’d donate. As soon as my cousin needed a kidney, I jumped to my feet and shouted, “Mine! Take mine!” I was 71 years old, part of a wave of older donors who have moved that upper age limit for donation higher and higher.

When I donated my kidney, I became part of a nationwide donor chain that resulted in 8 transplants. These chains of donors and recipients has made the need to “match” your recipient obsolete.

I’ve had 26 years of good health since donating my kidney to my sister—and so has she. Donation neither reduces life expectancy nor prevents donors from living normal, healthy lives.

As a transplant surgeon, I witness an incredible change in a patient when the new kidney starts to work. Another awesome fact? If one person in 10,000 stepped up to be a donor, the kidney wait list of over 100,000 would disappear.