My Kidney Donation Story: Matt Ronin

The first time I tried to donate a kidney was in 2002-2003. I was incompatible just based on blood type alone. The second time, in 2005-2006, I knew I was blood type compatible, but I was ruled incompatible due to antibodies. I didn’t know what that meant, but it was a lot of work just to get that far. So, I kind of said, forget this, it’s too much work. I never really thought about it again until Garet Hil started the National Kidney Registry and I started working with them.

Fast forward a number of years, and the Voucher Program was launched. Knowing that there was a history of kidney disease on my daughter’s mother’s side of the family, I wanted to donate through the Voucher Program so she could get a transplant in the future if she ever needed one. I didn’t want to be too old to donate if she did. There is a high likelihood that my daughter will never need a kidney, but it’s good to have that safety net just in case.

I was able to start a chain and help some folks. My thinking was, I have a healthy kidney now, and someone needs a kidney now. Why should I wait to find someone who needs a kidney and risk not being able to donate?

I had a super easy recovery. The day of the surgery, I was up walking through the halls. The doctor said that the more I walked, the less pain I would have. I took his advice and walked as much as I could. I was working two days later, albeit at a reduced pace. Being able to work from home allowed me to have that capability.

I love the fact that I donated a kidney. I never felt the need to meet my recipient or anyone in the chain—it wasn’t about that for me. I did what I did, and that’s enough. It’s life—you just move on. To me, it was a normal Tuesday, like it was my job that day to go to sleep and lose a pound.

About the Author

Matthew Ronin oversees all the data analytics efforts for the National Kidney Registry. He is also the co-author of many medical research papers related to kidney paired exchange. In addition, he leads the Kidney for Life initiative, which aims to achieve the best transplant outcomes and reduce immunosuppression medication. Matt lives in Norman, Oklahoma, with his wife, children, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Though the kids keep him quite busy, he enjoys spending time running, biking, and meticulously mowing his lawn.