“I’m all about charity. I’ve been giving back my whole life,” says Joseph Lewis, an Equity & Inclusion Leader at Guardian. “As a gay male, I couldn’t previously legally donate blood. It’s always bothered me. I’m healthy, and I’m O+ so I’m a universal blood type.”
So, to give back in another way he registered to become a bone marrow donor. One day, the bone marrow center called him to ask if he would consider being a living organ donor. “I didn’t know very much about kidney donation and certainly didn’t understand the need,” Joe says. The overall demand for kidneys is astronomical — each year, 101,000 people are in need of a kidney, but only 17,000 will receive one,1 after waiting an average of 3-5 years.2
In July 2023, with the support of his husband, Joseph began a series of testing. He underwent a lot of blood tests, an MRI, a CT scan, and psychiatric screenings. Mental wellness was an important component of this process because physical health and mental health are interconnected. “I’ve learned a lot about my own body — and I opted to keep moving forward,” he says. “There’s a risk in surgery, and I understand that, but if my organs can save others’ lives, that makes me feel like I’ve done something with my life.”
Joseph became a living kidney donor and chose to donate anonymously, which means that he does not know many details about the recipient of his kidney.
When a new kidney is installed in the recipient, their body is generally immediately reactive. It either accepts or rejects the organ. Joseph heard, one week after his surgery, that his donated kidney was still functioning and the recipient was recovering well. Five months later, during a routine follow-up, he learned the recipient is still going strong.
This long and eventually successful process affected Joseph’s overall well-being. “From a financial perspective, I felt totally supported throughout the process. The National Kidney Registry really supports their donors by covering travel and medical costs,” Joseph explains. “From an emotional perspective, I had a case worker that made sure I felt safe and protected, and I have a nice home life to go home to. But even my colleagues at Guardian went through the process with me. Having that support system of family and co-workers was really helpful. For me, I felt all the pillars of well-being were in place — emotional, physical, and financial.”
Anonymous donors are called heroes by the National Kidney Registry because there’s not enough kidneys to go around. Joseph has a tip for those who are interested in organ donation: there’s no cost to find out if you’re eligible. If you’re unsure, reach out to a kidney organization. The demand is high, and continuing to rise at 8% per year.3
“This is the apex of volunteerism,” says Joseph proudly. “Whether you’re a living donor or you’re on the list as an organ donor after you’re deceased, just do it. Your body is remarkable.”