Laurie McKenzie

• Donor Mentor
• Living Kidney Donor

Laurie’s path to living kidney donation began long before she met her recipient. For years, she shared Facebook posts from people searching for living donors, in case someone in her network might be able to help. She knew that she wanted to donate herself someday if she were in a position to do so.

That intention became real in 2020. While visiting family in Seattle, Laurie met her longtime friend Stephanie for lunch and was introduced to Stephanie’s fiancé, Ricardo. When she learned he was on 24/7 peritoneal dialysis, Laurie offered to donate if he ever needed a kidney. A month later, she saw a Facebook post saying he now urgently needed a donor, and she reached out immediately.

Laurie was approved to donate, and on May 4, 2022, her kidney was transplanted into Ricardo.

The experience changed Laurie’s life. Ricardo is thriving today, and he and Stephanie have since married. Laurie felt called to support others exploring donation, eventually discovering the donor mentor role she now loves.

Laurie lives in Seattle with her one-eyed rescue dog, Mr. Pretzel. She enjoys running, baking, and spending time with family, and continues to approach life—and mentorship—with the same faith and trust that guided her through her own donation journey.