More End Kidney Deaths campaigning

Description of proposed project

Six years ago, my son and I each donated a kidney to a stranger. We knew it would change our recipients’ lives. We did not realize it would transform ours. That experience ignited my mission: to fight for the 90,000 Americans on the kidney waitlist, half of whom will die before receiving one. This is a crisis we can actually solve.

The End Kidney Deaths Act (H.R. 2687) will save up to 100,000 lives in the next decade, end the needless suffering of thousands of families, and save taxpayers up to $40 billion. We are closer than ever to passing it, but the window will not stay open forever.

This bipartisan, ten-year pilot program provides a refundable tax credit of $10,000 annually for five years ($50,000 total) to living kidney donors who give to a stranger who has been waiting the longest. These “non-directed” donations often trigger kidney transplant chains that can help a multitude of patients from a single act of generosity. Living donor kidneys last roughly twice as long as deceased donor kidneys and deliver far better outcomes for patients.

In 2024, with ACX’s $50,000 support, we achieved unprecedented momentum. We secured 18 congressional cosponsors, helped publish op-eds in key districts, and launched a national campaign supported by kidney donors, recipients, advocates, and leading transplant professionals. We organized the first-ever lobby day for the End Kidney Deaths Act, bringing donors and patients to Washington to share their stories directly with lawmakers. We delivered policy briefs to all 435 House offices and 100 Senate offices and kept an active dialogue with staff.

In 2025, that groundwork paid off. We now have 38 House cosponsors, a Republican Senate lead, over 100 media stories, and the support of 50 organizations across the country.

With ACX’s continued investment, we can accelerate to the legislative finish line by:

*Expanding our grassroots advocacy network by recruiting and training more donors, recipients, and families to speak directly to Congress.

*Scaling our media presence with op-eds, national TV and radio interviews, and high-impact donor-recipient stories.

*Deploying targeted district campaigns in swing states and committee leadership areas, using both in-person and digital strategies.

*Engaging the transplant community by partnering with surgeons, nephrologists, and patient advocates to amplify urgency.

The kidney crisis is a slow-moving mass casualty event. Every year, about 10,000 Americans on the waitlist die from kidney failure, deaths that are entirely preventable. Today, 800,000 Americans live with kidney failure, a number projected to exceed one million by 2030. Dialysis, the alternative to a transplant, is debilitating and costs the federal government over $50 billion annually, about 1% of the entire federal budget. Kidney transplants not only save lives but also reduce these costs dramatically.

Congress already uses the tax code to encourage prosocial behavior, from adoption to home buying to renewable energy. Compensating living kidney donors is both morally urgent and fiscally responsible. Even the lead sponsor of the National Organ Transplant Act said 41 years ago that if voluntary donation could not meet demand, tax credits should be implemented. That time has come.

Passing the End Kidney Deaths Act is not just policy. It is a lifeline for tens of thousands of Americans who would otherwise die waiting. With ACX’s help, we can build a coalition broad and determined enough to overcome partisan inertia and secure passage before the end of the current Congress in December 2026.

We have the policy. We have the people. We have the momentum. Now we must get to the legislative finish line and save lives on a historic scale.

Why are you qualified to work on this?

I am uniquely positioned to lead this work because I have lived both the personal and professional sides of the kidney crisis. In 2020 and 2021, my son and I each donated a kidney to a stranger. Since then, I have been a volunteer mentor for prospective donors, led workshops on eating healthy for kidney disease patients and been an advocate for the National Kidney Foundation, The National Kidney Donation Organization, Waitlist Zero and the Coalition to Modify NOTA. These experiences gave me firsthand insight into the barriers that prevent more people from becoming living donors and the life-changing impact for those who receive them. It also instilled the determination that now drives my full-time advocacy to end the kidney shortage.

I have spent over three decades as an educator, communicator, and organizer, including six years as a Columbia University professor and program director of the Peace Corps Fellows Program. My professional background includes leading high-profile campaigns, writing for publications, and engaging effectively with diverse stakeholders. I have applied these skills to build this citizen-led effort to address the kidney crisis through legislation.

Since launching the campaign for the End Kidney Deaths Act, I have:

*Built bipartisan momentum in Congress, securing 38 House cosponsors, with active engagement from members across the political spectrum.

*Coordinated national media coverage resulting in over 100 news stories, op-eds, and interviews in outlets including USA Today, The Hill, The Baltimore Sun, and the Los Angeles Times.

*Led two lobby days for the bill, bringing living donors, recipients, and families to Washington to share personal stories directly with lawmakers, creating lasting relationships with key offices.

*Maintained ongoing outreach to all 535 congressional offices by providing tailored policy briefs and following up with targeted district and committee-level campaigns.

*Built alliances with 50 organizations in the kidney and transplant space, including patient advocacy groups, medical professionals, and donor networks.

*Designed high-impact public campaigns including social media videos, billboards, public events, and on-the-ground actions that have mobilized both grassroots supporters and influential voices.

In 2024, ACX’s $50,000 grant allowed me to scale the campaign from a small, donor-driven effort into a coordinated national push. We grew our coalition, sharpened our message, and positioned the End Kidney Deaths Act as one of the most promising and fiscally responsible solutions to a major public health crisis.

I am deeply familiar with both the legislative process and the human realities behind the statistics. My work has brought me into direct contact with patients on dialysis, families losing loved ones on the waitlist, and the surgeons and nephrologists who see these tragedies every day. I understand that ending the kidney shortage will take more than compassion. It requires sustained advocacy, bipartisan strategy, and the ability to translate policy into plain, compelling language that moves people to act.

In addition to my own lived experience and organizing work, I have developed strong working relationships with congressional staff and advocacy networks that can be activated quickly as the bill progresses. I have also collaborated with nationally recognized transplant experts, including Dr. John Roberts of UCSF and Professor Al Roth of Stanford U, to ensure that our messaging is scientifically accurate and medically sound.

The fight to pass the End Kidney Deaths Act is not theoretical for me. It is personal. I know the difference a single kidney can make because I have seen it in the lives of recipients. I also know the scale of what is possible: the bill could prevent up to 100,000 deaths in the next decade and save taxpayers $37 billion.

I bring a combination of lived experience, proven advocacy success, bipartisan trust, media skill, and an existing national infrastructure that makes me qualified to lead this campaign to victory. ACX’s continued investment will not just sustain the work. It will maximize the impact of a proven strategy that is already delivering measurable results and poised for a breakthrough.

What would you do if not funded?

If this project does not receive ACXG funding, I will scale back national advocacy efforts significantly and shift focus to maintaining only the most essential activities, such as direct contact with current congressional cosponsors. I will seek financial support from our community through a GoFundMe campaign to sustain the work, but that approach will almost certainly limit the scope and reach of our efforts during this critical legislative window. Without dedicated funding, we may lose momentum and reduce the likelihood of passing the End Kidney Deaths Act in this congressional session.

How much money do you need?

I am requesting $93,750 to cover my salary through December 2026, when the current congressional session ends and we have the best chance to pass the End Kidney Deaths Act. My annual salary is $75,000, with no retirement, healthcare, or other benefits. The account that pays me currently has $17,000 in the bank. I receive $6,250 per month, which will sustain me only until October 1, 2025. I am considering launching a GoFundMe to help close the gap, but securing this funding now would ensure stability, allowing me to focus fully on the legislative push rather than diverting time to fundraising during critical advocacy windows. The requested amount represents a lean budget for a full-time national campaign director, enabling me to: Maintain momentum by persuading additional ongressional cosponsors and growing bipartisan support. Organize high-impact advocacy actions, including a second Lobby Day and targeted district campaigns. Provide financial support for low-income advocates to attend Lobby Day. Continue securing national media coverage and expanding grassroots engagement. Coordinate coalition partners and transplant community leaders around unified messaging. Guaranteed funding through December 2026 would provide the continuity necessary to see the bill through this session, when we have the best chance for passage and the opportunity to save up to 100,000 lives.