My name is Sara Gammons, and I am an advocate for living organ donations. If you are reading this, you might be too!

As kidney recipient and donor, my husband and I (respectively) came to realize how difficult it was to go online and find answers and support for the process of a living transplant, whether kidney, liver, or otherwise. What frustration we experienced, constantly adding to a list of questions, when no one seemed to have any answers!

As we grew closer and closer to our surgery date (September 19th, 2023), the best thing we could do was just be prepared for a variation of scenarios and outcomes. We left our schedules open, skipped a lot of summer plans we would have normally loved to make, and sat on our hands while we waited for phone calls and appointment notifications. 

Further into our preparations, I was lucky enough to be introduced to a kind woman who reached out through one of Jeff’s Instagram posts. She was also a donor, and at the time about 9 years post-surgery. She was a warm hug in a time of need, and down to the night before the surgery I was messaging her asking about the tiniest details, and seeking support and comfort. She was my last-minute angel; thank you Cheri! You hold a special place in the kidney-sisters club for me. 

What we wish to accomplish with this website and blog, is to give future donors and recipients a place to come for help, answer their questions, find someone who can relate to their situation, and not feel alone. This can be a dark path, especially if you are close to the person you are donating to and feel that they are fading away from you every day that their condition is not treated. And naturally as a future recipient, you are feeling your own life slip away. 

The joy you will feel after a successful surgery, however, is something you will never be able to explain with words.

Right now, it is our life, and we have to be faithful to a lifestyle that protects these two kidneys we share now. Many in this journey find themselves staying healthier down the road, as they are more in tune with their bodies and committed to making good choices!