Hello and welcome to our inspirational billboard campaign, highlighting real-life living kidney donors (LKD's) and their life-saving acts of human kindness.
My name is Risa Simon. I'm the founder of the TransplantFirst Academy and a preemptive kidney transplant recipient who knows what it’s like to need a replacement kidney. When I was in need, nearly 90,000 people were already standing in line ahead of me.
Fortunately, I was blessed with a Goldilocks event when a living kidney donor offered to donate one of her kidneys to me and it was "just right!"
Today, I'm living my best life ever, but I know I can do more. With over 109,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant and a dozen deaths a day, we much do more.
With your help we can capture the general public's attention before more lives are lost. We hope you'll consider helping us fund our highway/roadway LIVING HERO Billboard Campaign. It's time to save lives through increased awareness in Living Kidney Donation. Let's make a difference together.
*Your contribution is tax-deductible through the TransplantFirst Academy. One hundred percent of the funds we receive will be going to the production costs and billboard space rentals.
Make A Contribution Below:
Special Hearts & Faces
Throughout this billboard campaign, you’ll see the special hearts and faces behind this life-saving movement. We don’t use "stock art" to share our message. We proudly honor the brave, life-saving living kidney donors.
These remarkable living kidney donors are anxious to share their message. Their hope is to inspire the general public to think differently, as they learn more about the need for living kidney donation.
Our three phrase action statement says it all:
Be A Hero. Save A Life. Donate A Kidney.
Most people are unaware that over 700,000 kidney disease patients have End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and require kidney replacement therapy to survive. Kidney transplantation is the most effective therapy for kidney failure, because it offers a significantly better quality of life, fewer medical complications and longer life expectancy. It is also far less restricting and less costly than the only other alternative, life-long dialysis.
This campaign has the power to dramatically impact the lives of those in need (currently more than 109,000 are waiting for a kidney transplant).
Why This Is Important?
Our nation's current system of organ donation is not meeting the growing demand. Nearly 4,000 people die annually while waiting. Their wait can be anywhere from three to nine years, depending on the geographic region. This lag time causes even more patients to drop off the list due to illness, when their health deteriorates beyond the hope of transplantation.
Living Kidney Donation has the power to provide ESRD patients their best outcome and quality of life, by putting an end to their life-threatening wait.
Our Target Goal
Our campaign goal is simple: To increase awareness and participation in Living Kidney Donation (LKD). Ultimately this campaign has the power to spark interest and inspire “budding heroes” - (remarkable people who instinctively look to throw some good out into the world) to take notice, learn more and explore more.
Our Intention
Our aim is to inspire goodhearted people by showing the proud (and no regret) faces of real-life living kidney donors. Information is power and there is a lot to learn. That's why we've created a handout with key answers to top questions on Living Kidney Donation. See Top Twelve Questions on LKD. If a potential donor is unaware of someone in need, they can simply call a transplant center in their area to see if they can altruistically help a stranger.
What Are the Benefits to the Kidney Donor?
There are no trophies or medals, parties or parades or suitcases of money. But there’s a lot to be said about the perpetual joy that comes through the act of giving another person a better life. In addition to helping reduce our country's kidney shortage, living kidney donors say that the reward comes from witnessing how their actions led to another's “human-life gain.”
So, Why Should You Donate Money To This Campaign?
I guess you could say that it’s all in the human spirit of "feel good."
The triggering event generated from this awareness campaign holds significant impact. Imagine knowing that your dollars are funding a public awareness announcement that could save a life. Many lives.
Over 109,000 individuals’ lives depend on our efforts. Your efforts.
Please join this cause with your generous pledge of inspired intention.
Funding Goal – Phase 1:
Our goal is to raise $210,000 for billboards in 21 cities across America. We're starting in Phoenix and your donation could very well kick-start our inaugural billboard, if not direct the next location. One hundred percent of the funds we receive will be going to the production costs and billboard space rentals. We do not have paid staff. We're rewarded by the spirit behind this work and our community of "Pay it Forward" intentions. It's the right thing to do.
Other Ways to Help.
For those of you who are financially-limited, make an impact by adding your voice to your financial pledge. Perhaps you have connections with underwriting sponsors or know businesses who would be willing to contribute towards billboard rental space in their area.
Contact Us For More Information, email: info@TransplantFirst.org
We invite you to join us in any way that you can.
Make A Contribution: