My Kidney Donation Story: Nicole Birkett-Brunkhorst

My kidney donation journey began in 2012, when a local family was hosting a bone marrow registry drive. I swabbed my cheek on my lunch break to join the registry and received a call in 2020 that I had been matched with someone who needed a stem cell transplant.

In 2021, I flew to San Antonio to do the donation. It was easy—I just sat in the chair for five or six hours. After that experience, I thought, if I have the ability to help someone, what else can I be doing? I learned from some of the nurses that donating platelets would be the next step, so I started donating platelets and blood regularly at my local Red Cross.

I also started researching kidney donation. I particularly became interested in non-directed kidney donation because I didn’t have anyone specific in mind to donate to, but I knew that my kidney could help someone in need.

I was aware of living kidney donation. I had two former colleagues who donated a kidney maybe 10-plus years ago. I could see them living their best lives and not really having any complications from the donation surgery.

I visited the SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital website to start the process, learned that they had a transplant program for living donors, and filled out a questionnaire to learn more.

The process of becoming a kidney donor was thorough to say the least. I went through numerous medical tests and screenings; met with doctors, social workers, and psychologists; learned about the risks involved; and, most importantly, underwent a thorough evaluation to ensure I could live a healthy life with one kidney. That took more than a year. 

In April 2022, I received a preliminary denial because my blood pressure and BMI were on the high side. I took this news as: it’s not “no,” it’s “not right now.” I made some significant changes to improve my health and focused on being more active and making healthier choices.

I reached out to SLU again in January 2023 to tell them about my progress in improving my health and ask if we could restart the screening process. By that time, they had also become a National Kidney Registry Member Center. That made me feel even better about donating because I was able to list five family members as voucher holders through the Family Voucher Program. I feel like I have taken measures to protect my family members. 

I donated in July 2023. My surgery went smoothly, and I was home the next day. Physically, my recovery was better than I expected. The first 48 hours were the most painful, but once I got up and moving it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. As I near the two-year mark, I am happy to report that I’m just as healthy now as I was before the surgery.

My left kidney went to a recipient through a paired exchange program. This means that their donor wasn’t a match for them but still donated so their loved one could receive a well-matched kidney. This is a beautiful system that allows more kidney donations to happen when donors and recipients aren’t a direct match. I have not had any contact with my recipient, but I did write an anonymous letter.

When people ask what surprised me the most about donating a kidney, it’s just how quickly you recover. I just took it slow—walked regularly, avoided heavy lifting, and focused on simply getting up and moving. I took seven weeks off work. I would encourage anyone who is getting ready to take this journey to take as much time as their job will allow. I felt good and almost back to 100% by week eight, but I also wanted to make sure I listened to my body and didn’t push myself.

I have competed in three Donor Games events. Last year I did the Midwestern Regional in Ohio and the 1-Mile Swim Open, and this year I did the 3 RM Bench Press Open. I’m trying to use my voice to advocate for living donation, telling people that they may not know it yet, but they might also be led to this path. 

The need for living kidney donors is immense. I can’t promise that kidney donation will be easy, but I can tell you that it’s life-changing. You could help a loved one, a friend, a neighbor, or even a stranger get a second chance at life. The need is great and the opportunity is real. If you’re interested, I encourage you to take that first step—whether it’s registering as a donor or simply learning more about the process, your decision could change someone’s life in ways you’ve never imagined.

About the Author

Nicole Birkett-Brunkhorst resides in St. Louis, Missouri, with her husband, Greg, and two rescue dogs, Pepper and Basil, affectionately known as the spice girls. Nicole attended Webster University where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications. Nicole’s 18-year career has been spent in wealth management, helping families navigate their financial journey with clarity and confidence. Her hobbies include visiting local art fairs, cooking vegetarian meals, and serving as a community volunteer at various nonprofits, including Animal Protective Association of Missouri, Affton Christian Food Pantry, Prosperity Connection, National Kidney Foundation, and Mid-America Transplant. Nicole altruistically donated her kidney in July 2023 and is getting involved in advocacy initiatives to highlight living kidney donation and the quality of life living donors have post-donation.