My Kidney Donation Story: Stefanie Sbandi

I donated a kidney to my friend, Kim. We met on the first day of high school in 1994 and remained friends throughout our adulthood. I wasn’t aware of the extent of her kidney disease until 2021, when she told me she was going on dialysis.  

She began looking for a blood type-specific donor. We were different blood types, so I didn’t think there was much I could do besides share Facebook posts and put up a sign in my yard.  

She started having some other health issues and I got frustrated that there was nothing I could do. I did some research and found out about the Voucher Program, and I realized I could help her get a kidney even if it wasn’t directly from me.

I breezed through all my lab work. I had never had surgery besides getting my wisdom teeth out, and I’m a fainter—even for giving blood or getting a flu shot. But throughout the donor evaluation process, I felt really confident, maybe because this was so important to me. So in addition to helping my friend, it helped me overcome a big fear of mine as well.  

I donated on August 1, 2023. I was really surprised at how manageable the surgery was. I had felt much worse from sinus infections. My team had told me a lot about the recovery process, but I didn’t know if they sugarcoated it because they didn’t want to scare me. But my recovery was very manageable. I pretty much relaxed on the couch and walked around like they wanted me to. I felt tired but I wasn’t in a lot of pain. I was just taking Tylenol, and I stopped that after a pretty short amount of time because I realized I didn’t need it.  

I was back to work as a middle school teacher on the same day as everyone else, and I would say I was back to normal within a few weeks. 

To anyone considering kidney donation, I would say it’s a very personal decision—it has to be something that’s right for you and where you are in your life at that time. There’s really no expiration date on donating a kidney. If you consider it and it’s not right for you at that time, it doesn’t mean you can never do it. It’s not a one-moment-in-time thing. 

I think of it as a cost-benefit analysis. As a donor, you may feel tired for a few weeks when you’re recovering, but that is nothing compared to what it does for the recipient. When I compare my experience with my friend being able to travel and play with her nieces and do all the things she used to be able to do, there’s really no comparison. 

For me, donating a kidney has given me a very deep sense of gratitude that I have never experienced before. If I could keep growing kidneys and donating them, I would keep doing it—I would have no hesitation.

About the Author

After donating a kidney on behalf of her friend through the National Kidney Registry’s Voucher Program, Stefanie Sbandi joined the NKR as a microsite donor mentor—explaining the process, answering questions, and offering insights to potential donors based on her own kidney donation experience. Stefanie lives in the Philadelphia area and has spent the last 14 years working as a special education teacher. She enjoys cooking and spending time with her friends and family.