When my dad was 18 years old, his father received a kidney transplant due to Polycystic Kidney Disease. Growing up, my family talked a lot about organ donation and how it had impacted our lives in such a positive way. I always found it fascinating that someone else’s kidney saved my grandfather’s life.
My father was diagnosed with the same disease in his thirties. It started with high blood pressure and as the years went on his health continued to decline. In November of 2020 he went active on the transplant list. Our #1 goal was to avoid dialysis, and the best way to do that was to find a living donor.
For the next several months we did everything from sharing a link to be tested all over social media to putting car magnets on our vehicles.
As we were playing the waiting game, I discovered Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA). SODA supports student-led organ donation registration efforts on high school and college campuses across the nation.
In 2021, I founded the first SODA chapter in the state of Kentucky at my high school. This gave me a platform to table at community events and speak to local organizations to raise awareness. I was also able to fundraise for Donate Life Kentucky, which I became an ambassador for.
Through working with Donate Life Kentucky Trust, I was able to organize and speak at a flag raising for National Donate Life Month and was able to be featured on a Donate Life billboard.
My father received his lifesaving transplant in 2022 thanks to his selfless donor. Since then, I have had the honor of being recognized by Donate Life Hollywood and the University of Cincinnati for my advocacy efforts.
My dad passed away in a tragic accident on April 14, 2025, exactly three years and one month after his transplant. His story ended much too soon, but I am beyond grateful for the three extra years we had together because of the gift of donation.
I have seen the amazing things that organ donation can do and I will continue to advocate for it. I am excited to see what the future holds for me in the world of organ donation advocacy!
Emily lives in Maysville, Kentucky.
