If you’ve ever considered donating a kidney but you’re worried it might limit your activities in the future, an Alexandria, Virginia, woman has an inspiring story to calm your nerves.
Brittany Wilson gave her cousin one of her kidneys back in 2020 in order to save his life. Since then, she has competed in two ultramarathons and will soon travel to Guatemala, where she’ll attempt to summit three volcanoes in four days.
Can you do that with one kidney?
“The truth is, yes,” said Wilson.
She’s attempting these summits to inspire others to consider kidney donation, showing that you can do anything with just one kidney.
“In the first few weeks after you donate your kidney, your other kidney actually grows, to accommodate the work of two kidneys,” Wilson said.
In December, Wilson and 17 other kidney donors will embark on the second annual One Kidney Climb. The group will be covering 12,500 feet of elevation, ascending the Pacaya, Acatenango and Atitlan volcanoes.
The climb is organized by Kidney Donor Athletes, a group that encourages kidney donation. According to the organization’s website, there are currently about 100,000 people in the U.S. on the waitlist for a kidney, and 13 die every day. They say more living kidney donations would mean significantly fewer kidney-related deaths, and living donations are generally better, as a kidney from a live donor lasts about 50% longer than a kidney from a deceased donor.
Wilson said her cousin Bret, a musician, who received her kidney “is in fantastic health and is blessing the world with his amazing music.”
