My name is Steven Jamison, and I am a living kidney donor. I donated my kidney on May 3, 2023, for my good friend, Billy Jarvis.
Before I get into the details of why I chose to donate and what the experience involved, I’d like to share some background.
For nearly 10 years, I worked at Tennessee Donor Services (TDS), an Organ Procurement Organization based in Nashville, TN. For most of that time, I worked alongside Billy in the Public Education Department, where our job was to raise awareness about the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation and to inspire others to register as donors.
Like many others, I was a registered donor myself, but at first, I had no personal connection to donation. That changed quickly. Through my work at TDS, I had the honor of meeting countless transplant recipients, living donors, and donor families who had supported their loved ones’ decision to give the gift of life. Their stories were unforgettable and gave me a deep understanding of the incredible impact donation has on individuals, families, and communities.
While I chose to donate to help my friend, my experience working in the donation community gave me a deeper appreciation for the life-changing impact that decision could have.
I met Billy shortly after I joined TDS. He was a senior member of the team and had already received his first kidney transplant more than 30 years prior. As a new employee who knew virtually nothing about donation—or the business world in general—Billy took me under his wing. We hit it off immediately and became close friends. That won’t surprise anyone who knows Billy—he’s a social butterfly and a friend to everyone he meets.
A few years later, Billy’s transplanted kidney began to fail. One day, we were having lunch in the breakroom, and he mentioned his kidney function was declining and that another transplant might be necessary. In that moment, I told him, “I got you.” That was two years before the donation took place.
At the time, I’m not sure he believed I meant it—and I didn’t know whether I’d even qualify as a donor. But I knew that if it was possible, I would be the one to step up and help my friend when the time came.
That time eventually came as Billy went into kidney failure and began dialysis treatment. I told him again that I would give him my kidney and that I was ready to start testing right away. To start the process, I connected with a living donor coordinator at UT Medical Center’s Transplant Center, who explained the process. I already knew testing to determine if I was a candidate to donate a kidney would be thorough. For Initial testing I took a series of blood tests to confirm my blood type and tissue compatibility (HLA matching) as well as urine analysis to ensure I had healthy kidney function and more. Unfortunately, the results showed I wasn’t a viable match. Due to a high level of antibodies in Billy’s system—developed over time after his first transplant—he would likely have rejected my kidney. I was devastated that I could no longer help my friend, but I quickly learned that we may have a backup option.
Billy was listed at Ascension Saint Thomas West’s Kidney Transplant Program in Nashville, TN. Ascension’s program offers a paired donor exchange program through the National Kidney Registry for patients with willing but incompatible donors. In this arrangement, the incompatible donor is matched with a compatible recipient, while their intended recipient receives a kidney from another donor in a similar situation. This process can involve multiple donor-recipient pairs, creating a chain of transplants that increases the overall number of successful kidney transplants. By participating in such exchanges, patients have a higher likelihood of finding a well-matched donor, which can lead to better transplant outcomes and reduced waiting times.
Though I couldn’t donate to Billy directly, I knew that donating through this program would ensure he would receive the kidney he desperately needed. It also meant I could help someone else in need. To me, it was a no-brainer.
I restarted the evaluation process at Ascension, beginning again with blood and urine analysis. I also went through medical and psychological evaluations to confirm I was healthy and understood the risks and implications of living donation. Testing included physical exams, imaging (like CT scans), and screenings for infectious diseases. After several months, I received the call: I was approved as a donor—and they had a match for my kidney.
The night before surgery, I was admitted for final evaluations and met the transplant nurses and hospital staff. I barely slept—part nerves, part excitement, and part emotion. But I was confident. I knew I had made the right decision, and I felt grateful for the love and support of my family and friends.
The surgery was a complete success and lasted only a few hours. Just over 24 hours later, I was out of bed and walking the halls. The next day, I was discharged to continue my recovery at home. Even though I’d been thoroughly educated on what to expect, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to get back to my normal life. I returned to work just two weeks after surgery. A little over a month later, I was hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park!
Today, I’m fully healed and healthier than ever. Billy has since received his kidney transplant, and he’s not just doing well—he’s thriving. I started this journey to help my friend, but it became something even greater when I heard from the other person involved in my story.
Just shy of my one-year donation anniversary, I received an email from a name I didn’t recognize. The subject line simply read: “Donor Recipient.”
My recipient was a 26-year-old woman from Arizona who had battled lupus, kidney failure, and numerous other health issues. In her message, she told me that since receiving my kidney, she had gotten married, was able to travel again, and felt truly healthy for the first time in years. She said she finally had her life back.
I already believed that donating my kidney was one of the most rewarding decisions I’d ever made—but hearing her story confirmed it beyond a doubt.
If I could do it again, I would. Without hesitation. And if you’re healthy and even thinking about donating a kidney, I encourage you to go through the screening process and learn more. You just might change someone’s life. Maybe even two!