Andreea Baker

I donated my kidney back in 2017 to a family friend. Both he and his son needed a kidney.

I went through the process and ended up kind of as lucky as I got to donate to him. We are from the same community, so we get to see each other often, our boys are friends and we’re pretty much family now.

Nobody knew that I was going through the process besides my husband, immediate family and just a few friends. And I was trying to figure out a way to tell him that I was a match. So we went over to his house. Behind me I had a little matchbox and a match in my hand and I handed him the matchbox. I said, ‘I heard you’re looking for a match, I’m your match.’ and then I held up my match stick and there was tears and happiness.

As a nurse I had seen what organ and tissue donation did for patients.

I always said, ‘you know, God gave me two kidneys. I know I can live with one. If I know anyone who would need it, I would donate it.’ And I did.

People need to have a conversation about organ donation before they’re in that place. It’s important to know what your loved ones want in the event that they pass away and how many lives they can save by being an organ donor.