At 64, I Donated to Give My 2-Year-Old Grandson an Extra Voucher: Diana Genovesi’s Kidney Donation Story

I am a 64-year-old mother of five, grandmother of 16. Over the years, I have always indicated on my driver’s license that I would be an organ donor, but I never really thought about donating as a living organ donor.  

I became aware of that option in 2022 when my grandson was diagnosed, at 20 weeks in utero, with bilateral renal agenesis—Bilateral renal agenesis is a congenital condition in which a baby is born without both kidneys. Because kidneys produce fetal urine—which becomes amniotic fluid—this condition leads to severely low amniotic fluid and underdeveloped lungs. About 40% of affected babies are stillborn, and those born alive usually survive only a few hours.  

My daughter and her husband live near Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where they were referred for a new medical procedure. By surgically implanting a port to infuse fluid several times a week into the uterus, the baby was given the greatest chance of survival. 

Archie was born on March 13, 2023, healthy and breathing room air. Of all the scenarios the medical team had given, by the grace of God, Archie has been on the positive side. 

Within 24 hours, he was on hemodialysis and stayed in the NICU for five months.  

He “graduated NICU” and went home in August 2023, as he was functioning well on peritoneal dialysis.  He would be a candidate to receive a kidney around the age of two. The search began, and although family members came forward, the best match was someone outside the family who became aware of his need and stepped forward to save his life. The transplant surgery was completed in May 2025 and both Archie and his donor are doing well.  

However, the medical team caring for Archie expects that in his lifetime, he will need another kidney.  

Although I was ruled out as a direct donor due to my age, I wanted to see if I could still donate through the Voucher Program. Donating my kidney as a non-directed donor would give Archie a voucher in case he ever needs another kidney transplant in the future. My testing process started in August 2024. There were many tests and it took a long time, but in March 2025, I was approved to donate.  

I had been assigned a donor mentor through the National Kidney Registry, and I asked her how she felt about her donation experience and whether she had any medical issues afterward. I had questions about what the surgery and recovery were like and what I should expect, and she was very helpful in going through that with me. The support of someone who’s been through it is invaluable. 

I donated on October 28, 2025. I don’t know who received my kidney. The surgery and recovery were uneventful, or I should say as expected. My hospital stay was about 36 hours. I went home still in moderate pain, but that diminished a little every day. I rested, following the medical advice, and only needed Tylenol for pain.  

I took two weeks off work, then worked from home for four weeks. Everything I experienced pretty much followed what my mentor had described. I’m 10 weeks out now, and I don’t even really think about it. My abdominals are still a little weak, but I feel good otherwise.  

I don’t want to say it was easy because it’s a major surgery—but it was not as dramatic as it could have been. I would not have been approved for surgery if I wasn’t healthy enough. And I believe that is why the recovery was uneventful. 

Basically, I wouldn’t have really thought about being a living donor if it hadn’t been for my grandson, Archie. I am thankful I was able to give him a voucher. I am thankful to be able to help someone else. A voucher donation is such a remarkable opportunity: it protects someone you love while also opening the door for a stranger whose life may have depended on that exact moment of kindness.  

I want to raise awareness that we can donate as a living donor. There are so many people waiting, so if you are healthy and have the opportunity, it’s so worthwhile.  

I felt that throughout the process, if there was anything that had come up that indicated that I was not healthy, they would not have done it. I felt they very much had my best interests at heart.

About the Author

Diana lives in Northeast Ohio. She is joyfully married and still working (because she likes it—and because the lottery clearly isn’t part of God’s plan for her yet). She tries to live each day with gratitude and a good sense of humor. Staying active is one of her favorite ways to honor the body God gave her, so you’ll often find her sweating, smiling, and occasionally questioning her life choices at Orange Theory Fitness. 

She loves traveling with her husband and discovering more of God’s beautiful world together. Some of her happiest moments have been spent visiting their families, kids, and grandchildren—laughing, catching up, and soaking in the blessing of family. Her life is a mix of faith, movement, purpose, and the sweet chaos of the people she loves.