Kidney Donation: A Gateway to Renewed Purpose and Transcendent Altruism

As a kidney transplant recipient, I have witnessed first hand something I feel doesn’t get enough attention. The act of kidney donation. Almost always the donors that I connect with have an overwhelming sense of wanting to become advocates post donation, similarly to recipients. But why, really why? And is there a potential in this radical step that actually transforms the giver?

Times of great stress and crisis require us to dig deeper in all ways. We live amongst a culture in collapse with so many struggling to find or even rediscover a new sense of meaning. Stress, depression, mental health issues and existential crisis is at an all time high. It has never been so evident following our worlds recover process from the pandemic and responses there of. Almost as if we are in a process of ptsd and trauma healing.

To highlight a phenomenon that needs radical acts of altruism, I felt mentioning the subject of kidney donation as a means to not only act altruistically, but quite possible to embark on a process of inner self regeneration.

In the realm of medical marvels, the act of kidney donation stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of human altruism. Beyond the profound impact on the recipient's life, research and anecdotal evidence suggest that the act of giving a kidney can ignite a transformative journey for the donor, leading to a renewed sense of meaning and purpose.

As the poet Khalil Gibran eloquently said, “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

The Power of Altruistic Acts:

Altruism, the selfless concern for the well-being of others, has long been revered as a virtue that enriches both the giver and the receiver. Medical science has delved into understanding the psychological and emotional effects of altruistic acts, revealing remarkable transformations within individuals. Dr. James Doty, a neurosurgeon and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, affirms, "When we act altruistically, it activates the reward centers in our brains, leading to a sense of joy, purpose, and connection.”

Featured below

Nicole Laudenslager-Macaravitz, my sister post kidney donation.

My sister stepped up to radically to improve and "save" my health at NYU 2016.