Share Your Story Because You Never Know Who Will Be Moved To Donate on Your Behalf: Karen Kessler’s Kidney Transplant Story

I have a hereditary disease called polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which is caused by a genetic mutation that tells my kidney cells to form cysts.

Over time, the cysts grow in size and become more numerous until, instead of functioning kidneys that are the size of a fist, I have two giant football-sized kidneys that don’t work.

I have known my entire adult life that I have PKD. I inherited it from my father (along with my sense of humor!), who inherited it from his father. Since I was diagnosed with PKD at age 23, I have been under the care of a specialist to make sure I take care of my fragile kidneys and my health as much as possible to slow the progression of my PKD.

I am 59 years old, and I have outlived everyone in my family with PKD, but I sadly reached the end of the road of functioning kidneys in 2025. I became eligible for the transplant list in 2022 and had been waiting for a deceased donor, but that can take many years.

My nephrologist’s practice has a nurse practitioner who provides transplant and dialysis education sessions, so I had detailed information and a plan in place before I became sicker and would need to make choices while sick and stressed.

Finally, about nine months ago, my glomerular filtration rate (GFR, a rough estimate of the percentage of kidney function) was 8. I was still hanging on because I didn’t have a lot of the symptoms many people have, such as fluid buildup, nausea, etc. I was just unable to filter electrolytes like potassium and phosphorus, and my blood pressure was still high even with a maxed-out cocktail blood pressure medications.

Sadly, we had to pull the trigger on dialysis. My vascular surgeon already had a surgical plan in place to create dialysis access. We scheduled the surgery, and I started hemodialysis two weeks later.

I was planning to do home hemodialysis, but I had to wait for the training slot to open up, so I had to do in-center dialysis for a couple of months. After that, I did home hemodialysis for about five more months until I received my transplant from a living donor through the NKR Voucher Program.

For a long time, I could not wrap my brain around the idea of someone undergoing surgery to remove one of their kidneys for me. About a year and a half prior to starting dialysis, I realized that I needed to at least try to find a living donor. I had a lot of great help from my NKR microsite coach and the resources provided!

I shared the link on social media, asked friends to share, and even created an information table loaded with pamphlets, pictures, and information at one of my orchestra concerts, which are attended by 1,300 audience members. Friends sat at the table and talked to concertgoers about me and gave out the microsite business cards. There were also some opening remarks before the concert that included my story and referenced the information table, and I was asked to stand from my place on stage to be acknowledged.

Several people registered to start testing after this event, but none were approved to donate. However, my living donor who earned me the voucher is connected to the friend who organized the orchestra concert information table.

I don’t know the person who donated on my behalf to earn my voucher. How she came to donate shows how important it is to have faith—share your story because you never know who will be moved to donate on your behalf.

My friend shared my story on her social media pages, and the person who donated for me is my friend’s husband’s cousin’s wife. I don’t know her, but we both hope to meet after I’m recovered enough for it to be safe for me.

My donor started messaging me. She said, I don’t know you, but I saw your post and I’ve always thought in the back of my mind that this was something I would like to do, so I’m going to try.

She started the process, and whenever she passed a step, she would message me. I seemed to always get those messages when things were hard and I needed some hope.

She didn’t waste any time. She told the team that I really needed a kidney as soon as possible, and she made it her mission to get approved as soon as possible. The minute she was approved, she messaged me and said she told them she wanted the surgery as soon as possible. She is literally an angel walking the earth!

She donated on December 2, 2025. Her kidney was somewhat of a match to me, but my transplant center wanted an even better match, so we decided to enter the Voucher Program.

Within a week after her donation, we had a perfect match for me. The surgeon saw the match and was really excited about it—I was told the only way it could have been a better match was if it was a twin sibling (which I don’t have).

My donor told me that she really wanted me to have her kidney, but I told her that she was actually helping two people get even better matches—me and the person who would get her kidney.

We had a couple of frustrating delays, but I finally had my transplant on February 24, 2026. I’m doing really well. I have felt amazing and energetic since Day 2. It’s the most amazing thing. I haven’t felt this great since I was in my 30s.

The surgery went extremely smoothly. I went home four days later. I was ready to fully care for myself alone one week after that, only needing rides from dear friends to my follow-up appointments and blood draws. After three weeks, I was cleared to drive, which gave me my full independence.

I am so grateful for this beautiful kidney, made possible by my donor and the NKR, which helped me find my donor and then my perfect match kidney. I am also extremely grateful for my family, who took care of me at every turn, and friends who have supported me with rides, help, and support along the way. Thanks for this precious gift! Who knows what my new start on life will be like, and I can’t wait to find out!

About the Author

Karen Kessler grew up a few towns west of the Jersey Shore and has lived in the suburbs of South Jersey since the early 1990s. After earning a degree in mathematics, Karen worked for 32 years as a data analyst. To feed her creative side, she is a busy musician, playing viola in a full symphony orchestra, violin and viola in pit orchestras for musical theater productions, and other freelance performance opportunities as they arise. Instrumental music runs in the family—Karen’s sister, brother-in-law, and all three adult nephews play multiple instruments! The beach is another family favorite that feeds childhood nostalgia and love of the awesomeness of the ocean. Watching NFL football is a fall favorite, especially full Sundays of games to enjoy with Little Bit the beagle. Karen also enjoys cooking, jigsaw puzzles, and time spent with family and friends.