My Kidney Donation Story: Christina Hummel

I have been a fan of the Dave Matthews Band for as long as I can remember. Their music has always felt like a soundtrack to my life, a constant through every up and down. But as much as I’ve connected to their lyrics, the real magic of the Dave Matthews Band community—what we call the “DMB Family”—has been in the connections I’ve made with people. It’s a group bound not just by music, but by kindness, empathy, and a shared understanding that we’re all in this life together.

For as long as I can remember, I also knew that someday I would donate a kidney. It wasn’t something I thought about every day, but there was always a quiet, underlying certainty in me that, one day, I would be called to help someone in this way. I think I felt it deep in my bones, like an instinct—this idea that we’re all meant to do something meaningful for someone else, even if we don’t always know when or how that moment will come.

Then, in early spring 2019, the opportunity arrived.

I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a post from a fellow DMB fan. I had seen the name before in the online fan community, someone who shared my passion for the band and for life. The post was a simple, heart-wrenching plea. This person, let’s call her Sarah, was in desperate need of a kidney. Her body had been slowly failing her after many years of battling kidney disease and a previous failed transplant. She was desperate to finally live a life without dialysis. I could feel the urgency of her words, and something inside me clicked.

I knew this was it. This was the moment I had been waiting for.

I immediately submitted my information to the transplant center, went through the initial tests, and eagerly awaited the results. When I found out that I wasn’t a match for Sarah, I was disappointed but not defeated. I didn’t know it then, but this was just the beginning.

After speaking with the transplant coordinator, I learned about kidney swaps, or paired donations. It’s a process where donors who aren’t a match for their intended recipient can still help by donating to someone else in need. In return, their loved one gets a kidney from another donor. It felt like the right next step, even for a virtual stranger.

So, I signed up for the kidney swap program, not just for Sarah, but for anyone who needed help. And, as luck—or fate—would have it, my kidney was quickly paired with someone who was a match.

Then came the call that took my breath away. The transplant coordinator on the other end of the line told me I was a “miracle match” for a recipient who was considered almost impossible to match. It was one of those rare moments when everything seemed to align perfectly. It felt like such a profound moment—the kind of thing you dream about when you first sign up as a donor. We set a date for the surgery, made travel arrangements, and I began mentally preparing for the big day.

But then, just a few days before the surgery was scheduled, I received another call—one that broke my heart. The surgery was canceled. Our final crossmatch had failed. It was devastating. I had imagined that moment of helping someone, of giving them a second chance at life, and now it was all suddenly ripped away. I couldn’t stop thinking about that person, who had finally received the good news they’d been waiting for, only to have it dashed away in an instant. I was crushed for them. It was a hard pill to swallow—this was supposed to be the moment that made everything feel worth it, and now, it felt like everything had come undone. But even through the disappointment, I couldn’t give up. I knew that the right opportunity would come again, and I was determined to keep going—because even though the surgery had been canceled, my commitment to helping someone in need never wavered.

Quickly, I was rematched and able to reschedule my surgery with a new recipient. While I was disappointed it wasn’t the miracle match taking someone off the list who had been waiting an exorbitant amount of time, I was absolutely thrilled by what I learned next.

Because of how the kidney swap network works, my donation sparked a chain reaction. My kidney went to a recipient who needed it. Their donor’s kidney went to another patient, and on and on it went. In the end, the chain continued for nine people in total, with a voucher for Sarah. Of those nine recipients, one was a true miracle match—a person with 99.55% antibodies, making them an almost impossible match for anyone, meaning they could potentially be waiting more than a decade for a new kidney.

Nine lives saved. Nine people given a second chance.

As for Sarah, who is also highly sensitized and still waiting for her perfect match five years later, I have faith that she will find it someday. But this experience has made me realize how crucial it is to consider kidney donation. You never know whose life you could change.

I still can’t fully grasp the enormity of it. It feels surreal. But what I do know is that it was the DMB community that brought me to this pivotal moment. The connection I made with Sarah, and the connections I’ve had with fans all over the world, are part of something so much bigger than myself. It’s a reminder that the world is full of people who care for each other, even if we’ve never met face-to-face. It’s a reminder that sometimes, when you act out of love and instinct, you can change the world.

“To change the world, start with one step. However small, the first step is the hardest of all.” – Dave Matthews Band, “You Might Die Trying”

I never expected my kidney donation to start a chain reaction that would save so many lives. I didn’t expect it to lead me to meet new friends, deepen my connection to this incredible community, or create a new sisterhood with fellow donors. But that’s the beauty of life, isn’t it? We never really know where the road will take us.

I’ll always be grateful for the music of Dave Matthews Band, for the community they’ve built, and for the unexpected way my love for their music led me to something far greater. We’re all connected in ways we don’t always understand, and sometimes that connection can change the world.

If you’re ever unsure whether you can make a difference, know that you can. Donating a kidney isn’t easy, but it’s one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done. And if you feel that quiet pull, that instinct, don’t ignore it. Sometimes, the most important things in life are waiting for us to say yes.

So, here’s to Sarah, to the nine people whose lives were changed, and to the incredible ripple effect that started with a simple post in the DMB community. I’ll carry the memory of this journey with me forever, and it’s a reminder that we all have the power to save lives, one act of kindness at a time.

Thank you, Dave Matthews Band. Thank you, DMB Family. And thank you, life, for showing me how beautiful—and interconnected—it can truly be.

About the Author

Christina Hummel is a passionate baker, avid reader, and sunshine lover based in Rhode Island. When not perfecting a new recipe or getting lost in a good book, she can be found traveling the world, following the Dave Matthews Band to up to 15 shows a year. Professionally, Christina works in continuous improvement, always seeking ways to make things better both at work and in life. A strong advocate for living donation, she hopes to one day donate her liver to someone in need, continuing to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.