July 30, 2024
In 1990 Will Johnson was deeply moved when a college friend donated a kidney to their cousin. The thought of donating a kidney himself stayed with him as he graduated college, moved to Germany, and carved out a career as a translator. Thirty-three years later, Will finally acted on the idea and became a living kidney donor.
First Steps to Donating
While Will admired his friend’s courage, he didn’t want to pry into his personal life.
“He didn’t talk about it a lot because it wasn’t a big deal to him. He simply did what needed to be done,” said Will. “I was a little envious of him. Not because I wanted someone I loved to get sick but because I wanted the opportunity to give such a meaningful gift.”
Living kidney donations have become more common through the years, but donating to an unknown recipient was practically unheard of in the 90s.
“I moved on with my life and the idea went to the back of my mind,” Will said. “Years later I was inspired by a podcast about altruism, or the concept of doing good simply out of the desire to help others. In my search to find ways to be more altruistic I learned about people who became kidney donors.”
Will began researching earnestly, completing NKF Kidney Learning Center's “Becoming a Living Donor” course in February 2023.
“It was an extremely informative course. There are modules with videos that you watch as you progress through the education,” Will said. “It confirmed my desire to become a living kidney donor.”
There was only one problem.
“I live in Germany where the laws surrounding kidney donation are very strict. I found out that you can only donate if you are very close to the recipient, like a family member or a spouse. I was disappointed but didn’t give up,” said Will. “I reached out to the National Kidney Registry (NKR) and a transplant center near my parent’s home to see if it was possible to donate in the United States while living in Germany and I was happy to learn that it was.”
Will was told he could apply through NKR’s voucher donor program and receive reimbursement for travel costs associated with the transplant. The voucher program will also prioritize Will for a living donor kidney if he should ever need one.
The first step was to learn his eGFR, which estimates how well the kidneys function.
“Initially, my eGFR was too low to donate. My doctor explained the different factors that affect creatine levels, like working out before my test. This may have increased my creatinine, lowering my eGFR for a short time,” Will said. "I decided to get tested again in a month. I moved to a more plant-based diet and cut out alcohol to help lower my creatinine. My eGFR increased, and I was back in the running.”
Learn how to improve your eGFR.
Ironing out the Details
Now that Will’s eGFR was high enough, testing began in earnest.
“I flew to the US on October 5th, 2023. My donor evaluation started on October 11th at my chosen transplant center. It was thorough. Now I understand what other donors mean when they say you walk away knowing everything about your health. I learned I was O-positive, meaning I could donate to anyone,” Will said. “The healthcare team was incredibly supportive, making sure I really wanted to do this.”
Testing ended on October 18th. Will returned to Germany and waited anxiously to learn if he was cleared to donate.
“In early November I woke up at three in the morning, Germany time. I checked my email and saw that I was accepted,” said Will. “I was elated. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like I had won the lottery.”
Since Will’s parents live near the transplant center, he asked if they could schedule the surgery near Christmas. This would allow him to recover with his family during the holiday. It also aligned with taking time off of work.
“They were accommodating, setting the date for December 19th,” Will said. “I flew in on December 7th for cross-testing with my potential recipient. This test ensures the recipient’s immune system is compatible with mine. Everything went smoothly.”
Learn more about kidney transplant compatibility tests.
Donating a Kidney
Suddenly, the day Will had been waiting for was here.
“I spent the night at a hotel within walking distance of the hospital and walked over the morning of. The hospital staff were amazing and helped me feel at ease,” Will said. “The anesthesiologist told me how confident he was that the surgery would go perfectly.”
And it did! Will spent one night at the hospital before going home to recover at his parent’s home.
“I was sore for a few weeks but it was manageable. They encouraged me to move so my mom and I went on walks together,” Will said. “I returned to Germany on January 5th 2024 and started working remotely a few days later. Two weeks later I returned to the office. By mid-February, I was jogging again.”
Now, Will is sharing his story to inspire more people to consider living kidney donation.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to help someone in need. Donating a kidney is one of the most positive, rewarding experiences I’ve ever had,” Will said. “I believe there are many people who would altruistically donate a kidney if they knew it was an option. I hope my story helps spread the word. It isn’t for everyone but if you feel called to donate, I highly recommend going for it.”
Will is also planning on sharing his story in Germany, hoping to change their current policy and make living kidney donation more accessible.
Want to help change kidney disease policy for the better? Become a Voices for Kidney Health advocate. Through NKF’s advocacy group, you can use your voice and make a difference.
