KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A woman’s decision to donate her kidney set off a train reaction that saved many more lives
Stacey Donovan didn’t know who received her kidney but she has an idea. His family sent her thank you notes which she saved in a binder.
Donovan anonymously donated her kidney last year. That donation saved a husband, father and grandfather.
“His daughter said things like now he can see me graduate, things like now my grandfather can play on the beach with them. It was wonderful,” said Donovan.
The Hallmark writer made the big decision last year when she heard the outstanding statistics.
“At the time there was like 93,000 people on the waiting list for a kidney and people die every day waiting for a kidney,” she said.
The numbers vary. The National Kidney Foundation says more than 100,000 are on the waiting list. After hearing about the need, Donovan said donating was a no brainer.
“I just thought it was the logical thing to do. Here’s a bunch of people who need something, I can do that,” said Donovan.
As part of the National Kidney Registry, her donation kicked off a chain of seven other kidney donations
“They set up these pay it forward chains but they need an altruistic donor to set it off,” she said.
Reading all the notes, Donovon says her logical choice saved an entire family.
She recently won the “Caught in the Act award” which honors random acts of kindness.
