Tonya didn't want her husband to rely on dialysis for the rest of his life. After a thorough evaluation at the transplant center, it was time to start planning for the donation surgery. Her supportive family stepped up to provide care to her and her husband during their recovery, but she also had a big trip to plan from her home in Georgia to the transplant center in South Carolina. NLDAC was there to help, covering hotel, meals, and transportation costs for Tonya and her cousin, who took care of her. Watch the video to hear Tonya’s story in her own words.

Vance wanted to donate to a family member, but they were not a good medical match. Through a paired exchange program, he was able to help his family member and another recipient with an incompatible donor. NLDAC's support helped Vance and his family focus on their health during the evaluation and surgery. You can learn more about how living donation is possible for incompatible donors and recipients here. 

Rowan is a non-directed donor, which means she donated without choosing who would receive her kidney. She reflects on her experience as a donor, and describes what it was like to get help from NLDAC with travel costs and lost wages. Living near the transplant center, she did not have many travel expenses, but NLDAC was able to help when her mom came to take care of her and she took two weeks off work for her recovery.

Thank you so much for your help during this process. We are eternally grateful for you and the team at NLDAC for working with us and approving our application for financial assistance. Your help in alleviating some of the financial burdens on my family contributed to helping us "choose life" for my aunt in need of a transplant. The past few months have been an emotional rollercoaster, and counting the 'cost' of generosity has been taxing. But your organization has helped remind us that we aren't alone and that the cost and weight doesn't have to be too heavy when there are many lifting each other up.

Nina decided to get tested as a living donor after seeing how her partner, Reinaldo, was suffering as he waited for his third kidney transplant. At the transplant center, she underwent many tests and learned about being a living donor. She found out they were a perfect match, and though she had never had surgery before and was nervous, their compatibility felt like a miracle. Six weeks after her donation, they are both doing well.

When Misha found out her sister’s first kidney transplant from their dad was beginning to fail, she felt it was her turn to help her sister. She had recently moved further away from the transplant center, and would have to fly 6 hours for her appointments. A member of the NLDAC team called her when her application was approved to give her the good news, and NLDAC covered the cost of travel for her and her husband  for her and her husband to travel to Charleston for their appointments.