I Bet I Could Do That
Utah residents Joe and Linda Haynie. Joe donated his kidney to a stranger in September, inspired by an episode of the podcast Freakonomics Radio.
The Power of Sharing Your Story
On September 10, Joe Haynie donated a kidney to a stranger—a decision sparked by a Freakonomics Radio podcast episode he heard while on a road trip with his wife about a year ago.
The episode, Make Me a Match (Update), features an interview with NKDO founder and CEO Ned Brooks, who shared his experience as a nondirected kidney donor. Ned was 65 when he donated in 2015. Joe, about to turn 65 himself, was deeply moved.
“By the end of the episode I was crying,” Joe said. “I turned to my wife and said, ‘I had no idea I might still be able to donate a kidney—I bet I could do that.’”
Inspired by Ned’s story, Joe began researching living kidney donation and signed up through the National Kidney Registry. He completed the thorough living donor evaluation process at Intermountain Health in Utah and was paired with NKDO Mentor Patty Graham for additional support.
Through NKR’s national registry, a kidney patient was identified who was a zero eplet mismatch with Joe. With a zero or low eplet mismatch, the transplant has a higher chance of being successful and the kidney is likely to last longer.
The recipient happened to live in Joe’s area, and the surgeries took place on September 10. “The doctors said that as soon as my kidney was connected to the recipient it began making urine—a very good sign of long-term success,” Joe said.
As for Joe, his surgery went well and his recovery was fast. In an email to Freakonomics Radio, he expressed gratitude for hearing Ned’s story. “Thanks to Freakonomics, I just donated a kidney to a stranger,” he wrote.
Listen to and share the episode that inspired Joe: Freakonomics Radio: Make Me a Match (Update)