My Kidney Donation Story: Claudia Weiskittel

Last week, I underwent surgery to donate my kidney to a stranger. Here’s my story. 

Taylor was my best friend at Marist College. We met in 2014 as freshman year roommates and clicked instantly. To this day, Taylor is the kindest, silliest, most genuine person I’ve ever met. 

During our sophomore year, Taylor got sick and left Marist. After a long series of events, she ended up at Westchester Medical Center and was placed on a left ventricular assist device while she awaited a lifesaving heart transplant. 

On April 20, 2016, Taylor received the gift of life from her angel. My other college best friend, Lindsey, and I were visiting Tay at the hospital when she got the call that a heart was available for her. Taylor lived for more than five more years, graduating from Hofstra University, inspiring others daily, and working a competitive internship. When she passed on July 9, 2021, she herself became an organ donor and angel, saving multiple lives. 

Christian came into my life in March of this year. We connected through social media when he saw the DonateLife link in my Instagram bio. He said I looked familiar from his time at Marist and asked if I was also waiting for an organ transplant. 

I told Christian about my friendship and experience with Taylor. He explained that he was also in my class at Marist but left the same year as Taylor due to medical issues associated with kidney failure. We probably passed each other multiple times at school without even realizing it. Christian knew Taylor, although not well, but they participated in Campus Ministry together. 

Inspired to help Christian, I started looking into the process of kidney donation. I thought I could help by raising awareness and sharing his story. But after I learned about the benefits and amazing outcomes of living donation—for both the recipient and the donor—I decided to register with the National Kidney Registry (NKR) and start the process of being evaluated to see if I could be a suitable donor. 

The NKR is incredible. I was able to do initial testing at Quest near where I live in Virginia. Once those tests all looked good, I flew out to Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City to undergo an extensive medical evaluation including blood work, urine tests, CTs, and X-rays. 

I am blessed to say that I’m very healthy and was approved as a candidate for kidney donation. However, I was not a great match for Christian. Thankfully, the NKR has this great program called the Voucher Program, which allowed me to donate on Christian’s behalf to someone else on the transplant list. This is a beautiful option because it helps more people in the end. Now, because of my donation, Christian is on a priority list to receive a kidney donation from a living donor who is a better match for him.  

I don’t know anything about my recipient, as we’re both protected under HIPAA, but I do have the option to write a letter for the transplant center to pass along. The recipient can choose to read it and respond. I plan to do this. 

The Donor Shield program is reimbursing me for my lost wages and travel expenses, which has been essential in allowing me to move forward with this donation. I have not had to pay for any of the medical costs associated with my donation. I will also receive kidney prioritization, which puts me at the top of the list to receive a living donor kidney if I ever need a kidney transplant later in life. It’s extremely unlikely I will because I went through such an extensive evaluation to be approved to donate, but it does give me a lot of reassurance. 

Thank you to my friends and family who have supported me through this journey. I’m overwhelmed by the amount of love and support I’ve received. Thank you also to the incredible staff at Weill Cornell and my NKR living donor mentor, Nicole. 

Organ donation is a beautiful gift that I feel so fortunate I was able to participate in. I’m not telling my story for individual praise or compliments. I want to show firsthand how much living donation helps real people. Thank you for reading.

About the Author

Claudia grew up in Walden, NY, with her four siblings. She completed her undergraduate degree at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, where she majored in Biomedical Sciences. Claudia also participated in Army ROTC and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army upon graduation. Claudia served as a Logistics Officer in the active-duty Army for five years, including two overseas deployments. She simultaneously earned her MBA and PMP Certification while serving. Since her time in the Army, she has worked as a Project Manager and is currently thriving at McKesson Medical-Surgical. Outside of work, Claudia enjoys spending time with friends and family, her loving partner, Fuzz, and her dog, Gunner. She loves to read, play chess, and stay active.