My Kidney Transplant Story: Matt Freund
When I was diagnosed with PKD at 15, I knew a transplant was in my future. Decades later at age 52, I found out how much I didn’t know about the process. Now, looking back, I’m amazed by how much the National Kidney Registry (NKR) transformed my experience.
What I Wish I Had Known Sooner
I wish I had discovered the NKR earlier. At first, I didn’t realize how powerful the NKR’s network was. If I had known about voucher donations from the start, I could have lined up a donor years in advance—even before my GFR declined, and before I was cleared for a transplant. Instead, I only found out about NKR during my first meeting with my surgeon at Mayo Clinic—who explained how the NKR’s matching system gave me better odds.
I actually had no idea Mayo Clinic was part of the NKR, or what that meant. I chose Mayo because of its reputation, but I didn’t fully grasp how being part of the NKR expanded my options. The more I learned, the more I realized: this wasn’t just a local transplant center—it was a doorway to a national network of donors, recipients, and centers all working together to find the best possible matches.
During COVID, each donor evaluation took months, and with Mayo’s limited capacity, the process dragged on. My brother, then my wife, and then my mom all made it through the initial screening but were eliminated during the onsite evaluation.
Later, I learned that the NKR allows multiple donors to be tested at once, even at different centers. If I had known that earlier, I could have saved almost a year.
The more I learned, the more I realized: this wasn’t just a local transplant center—it was a doorway to a national network of donors, recipients, and centers all working together to find the best possible matches.
Matt Freund
Voucher donations turned out to be an incredible option—once I finally understood the advantages. After a near-miss with paired exchange, we switched to a voucher donation, and it worked beautifully. My sister-in-law donated in early 2023, and by fall, I had my new kidney—from a kind stranger in Utah who donated on behalf of her mom. Voucher donation also allowed my donor to be fully recovered by the time my surgery happened, a big benefit for family members.
The Biggest Lesson? The NKR is a Crucial Piece of the Transplant Puzzle
At every step, the more I learned about the NKR, the more impressed I was. It’s more than just a registry—it’s a smart, efficient organization that facilitates better matches and improves outcomes.
My surgery went great—minimal pain, a quick recovery, and a low-eplet mismatch kidney that’s working well. If you or a loved one is a candidate for transplant or donation, I’d urge you to find out everything you can about NKR! Hang in there and good luck!