Kidney donation

Last year (2025), for me largely revolved around kidney donation. In Jan 2025 I found out my cousin McKenzie needed a kidney transplant and, if you know me at all, you know I tend to be mildly obsessive once I’ve decided on something. When I found out we had compatible blood types I felt like I was always meant to donate. There was a lot involved leading up to being approved as a donor and having the actual surgery (travel, appointments, mixed emotions), but in the end the transplant was a success and I have no regrets. The surgery was mid August and today I’m feeling great and back to my pre surgery fitness and daily routines. This was certainly a year I will never forget. I’ve come away from the kidney donation experience as a stronger and better human. I am also an open book about the experience if anyone is curious about kidney donation. Leading up, I was scouring the internet for stories of people in their 20s who had donated, so I’m happy to share mine for someone else’s benefit. You can learn more about both my story and McKenzie’s story by reading this CBC article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/kidney-donation-cousin-susannah-mckenzie-sutter-mckenzie-smith-saint-john-kitchener-1.7630452

Happy new year and cheers to continued growth in 2026!