Donor Search Success Stories

How did a kidney donation from one veteran to another originate? Morgan Slaughter saw a sign—literally. While scrolling Facebook looking for a new restaurant to try, the Air Force veteran noticed a post of a sign: an U.S. Air Force veteran needed a kidney.

Mark Rasmussen had two good kidneys, and wanted to give one away. Brad Hill was facing death without a kidney transplant. Near-strangers a year ago, the two men are now recovering from surgery last week, with one of Mr. Rasmussen’s healthy kidneys on the job for each of them.

In August 2022, Tania Grgurich, a diagnostic imaging professor at Quinnipiac University, spotted a Facebook post from former student Samantha Markham, who was in dire need of a kidney transplant. Grgurich immediately called the Center for Living Organ Donors at Yale New Haven Hospital to volunteer as her donor.

Three years ago, on his birthday, Jason donated his kidney through the NKR’s Voucher Program so his fiancée, Melissa LoStracco, could get a kidney. That kidney came from Tracie Herman. Three years later, Tracie officiated their wedding.

Destiny, luck, or perhaps a touch of divine intervention came together when Pastor Shane Webb’s desire to become an organ donor was answered: the granddaughter of a member of his congregation needed a kidney. He said, “Well, you can have one of mine.”

What started as a typical checkup for Parker Lintelman ended with a devastating diagnosis. At just 4 years old, her kidneys were failing. But Parker got a generous, life-saving gift from her preschool teacher, who donated her kidney through the NKR Voucher Program.

Tyler Rosen, a rare two-time living organ donor, spoke with News 6 about his most recent life-changing act of kindness. Two years ago he donated a part of his liver to an anonymous recipient. Then, he donated his kidney to his friend Katie Freeman, a new mom.

Friday afternoon, hundreds gathered at Inova Fairfax to celebrate the health system’s living kidney donor program. In fact, all living kidney donors at Inova since 2019 were invited to this special ceremony.

In just a few years, David VanDinter, who has polycystic kidney disease, went from mostly good health to stage four renal failure. The same day he posted about his need for a donor on Facebook, a former junior high school classmate messaged him: “I’m going to sign up tonight.”

Michael Deitado needed a kidney transplant. His wife was a match, but her kidneys were too small. Fabiana Castro Troya also needed a kidney transplant, and her husband wanted to donate but was not a match. In March, two couples swapped kidneys in a paired exchange.