In March 2026, I’ll be leading a group of incredible kidney donors to summit Mount Kilimanjaro — and we’ll be reaching the peak on World Kidney Day. From March 4–14, 2026, our journey will be more than just a climb — it’s a global message: life doesn’t stop after organ donation. In fact, it gets stronger.

I donated my left kidney in 2021 so my aunt could see her son graduate high school. In 2022, I became an egg donor to help an anonymous family start their own. And in 2023, I donated 75% of my liver to a stranger. My story isn’t just about giving — it’s about living. That’s why I’m proud to serve as Vice Chair of Kidney Donor Athletes (KDA), a nonprofit that empowers and celebrates living donors through community, education, and adventure.

KDA’s mission is to prove, through action, that organ donors are not only living full lives — we’re running marathons, scaling mountains, and showing the world what’s possible after donation.

Your donation will help us:

• Support potential and current living donors with resources and peer connection
• Fund events and storytelling initiatives that challenge outdated beliefs about organ donation
• Grow our national presence to inspire more people to say “yes” to saving lives

Every step we take on Kilimanjaro will carry your support — and every dollar brings us closer to normalizing living donation as something extraordinary and achievable.

Please consider giving, sharing, or simply cheering us on. We’re climbing for life, for awareness, and for every second chance that starts with a “yes.”

With gratitude and grit,

Christina Austin

Vice Chair, Kidney Donor Athletes