Reflections a Year After Donation: Lisa Book’s Kidney Donation Story

I was at work one day, reading a hospital-wide e-blast. One of the items in the email was the story of a hospital employee who donated her kidney at the hospital. I thought to myself, “I should look into that at some point.”

Life got busy, and it went out of my mind. Then, one day I was having coffee with a friend. When we were catching up, she shared that she had a family member who was in kidney failure and needed a transplant. And so it began—my journey to kidney donation.

I found out very quickly that I was not a match for the friend in need of a kidney because we do not have the same blood type. I entered the National Kidney Registry’s Voucher Program, which allowed me to give my kidney to a compatible recipient, generating a voucher that would give my friend priority for a transplant from a different living donor.

I was very impressed by the extensive medical testing I underwent before donating. All the medical professionals were there to make sure that I was safe for surgery, as well as a long, healthy life post-donation. The testing process took a little over four months.

I donated on June 18, 2025. My surgery was at the hospital where I work, and I received incredible support during both my hospital stay and my recovery period.

It has been more than a year since my kidney donation, and my life is back to normal. My kidney function is also back to normal—exactly what it was pre-donation.

I have never met my recipient. He and his family members wrote letters, which I received through the transplant center shortly after my donation. One of his family members wrote a quote from scripture. I was touched because in my religion of Judaism, those exact verses are blessings that parents bestow upon their children weekly on our sabbath.

A few months after my donation, the transplant center gave me another letter from my recipient. He talked about how much better he feels now, how the quality of his life has improved, and wanted to know how I was doing. I was happy to hear his progress, and happy to report that I was doing well.

I joined the Kidney Donor Athletes group, which sponsored me in my first event back, a 5K race. I also decided I wanted to do a triathlon. This summer, a year out from my kidney donation, I successfully completed my first triathlon, a race that encompasses swimming, biking, and running. I signed up for a series and just completed my third and final triathlon of the summer. I couldn’t be happier; both my recipient and I are living healthy lives.

About the Author

Lisa R. Book is a clinical nurse leader at the inpatient oncology/hematology/palliative care unit at Hartford Hospital. Additionally, she is adjunct clinical faculty at the University of Hartford, Department of Nursing. She lives in West Hartford, Connecticut. In addition to her joy of running, swimming, and biking, Lisa enjoys playing the violin. She would like to thank her parents, her boyfriend, and her three teenage children for their support during her donation journey.