My Kidney Donation Story: Keith Robinson 

My donation story began 26 years ago when I met the love of my life—my wife, Elaine. She has polycystic kidney disease (PKD). It’s a horrible disease that has plagued her family for generations. Her mother, late grandmother, uncle, and brother all have or had PKD. Elaine’s sister, the only one of her siblings who didn’t inherit the PKD gene, donated a kidney to her mother 28 years ago and it’s still going strong. I knew when I joined her family that one day I would be stepping up to donate.  

We were married within a couple of years of meeting, and we have three wonderful children. Years went by, we raised our kids, and she lived a healthy lifestyle, being mindful of the disease. We were hopeful that her kidneys would last until she was much older, as was the case with her grandmother. Elaine’s kidney function was stable until about seven years ago when her numbers started to head south. We did everything we could to prolong her kidney function, but a year and a half ago her glomerular filtration rate (GFR) dipped to the point where she would need to begin the transplant process.  

Initially, we hoped we could find a suitable paired donation before she went on dialysis. We were both tested at a local non-NKR hospital in the New Orleans area and entered their matching algorithm. As the testing began, a very close friend of mine who is a universal donor offered to donate to her. He was tested and was a match. My plan was to have him as a backup in case the paired donation didn’t happen. As we waited, Elaine’s kidney function started to rapidly decline, and it became apparent that the paired exchange wasn’t going to happen—he was going to be her donor. Their surgery happened on April 8, 2024, and they both are doing wonderfully.  

Knowing that I still wanted to donate, before their surgery I began the workup with NKR to be a non-directed voucher donor. I was accepted by Houston Methodist and opened my donation window on August 5 to give my wife enough time to recover after her surgery. I got the call from my coordinator in early July, and I donated my left kidney on August 6. The surgery went smoothly. I spent that day and the next full day in the hospital and was discharged on the morning of the second day.  

Overall, the surgery experience was amazing and very fulfilling. I felt some discomfort as the incision was healing and the gas from the surgery was reabsorbed, but at no time was I in any real pain. I stayed on my prescription pain meds for a few days, Tylenol for a few more days, and after a week, I was off everything.  

I have been an avid runner/marathoner for decades and I was determined to get up and move as soon as possible. I was walking the day of the surgery and on my feet a lot the next few days. Since the surgery, I have steadily increased my walking mileage and pace, and I really look forward to getting some running miles in soon. 

Unfortunately for us, our oldest daughter has already tested positive for PKD, and we are waiting to test the other two. The NKR Voucher Program gave me the ability to donate now, helping a kidney patient who is in need, but also to obtain a voucher for when, hopefully never, my wife or children ever need a kidney. As a husband and father, that is insurance that money cannot buy.

About the Author

Keith was born in Baton Rouge and is currently a resident of Madisonville, Louisiana.  He has lived in Louisiana all his life except for a few years in Chicago and Houston. He has been married for 24 years to his wife, Elaine, they have three children: daughter Kristin and son-in-law Andrew, grandchildren Sara and Spencer; daughter Katie; and son Joe. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering from LSU and an MBA from Tulane University. He has spent his career working in the engineering and finance sectors. His hobbies include running, woodworking, cooking, boating, working on his old home, and LSU football. Outside of work and spending time with family, he volunteers as a mentor for a local high school robotics team.