Main fundraiser photo

100 Mile Ride to Save Lives

Tax deductible
Summary:  While the benefits of live donor kidney transplants to recipients is obvious, the process for kidney donors  is also extremely rewarding, as you give so little but get so much in return.  My name is Richard Kellner and on May 16th I am  bike riding 100 miles to Montauk to share my journey as a kidney donor and enlighten others to explore the potential of being a donor to members of their community that may be in need. 

While being a live donor is not going to be for everyone, registering to donate your organs and save lives when you are gone is a no brainer.  *** LET YOUR LEGACY LIVE ON !!! CLICK HERE TO REGISETER AS A DONOR WHEN YOUR GONE. *** 

Proceeds: All proceeds from this campaign are fully tax deductible and go directly to LiveOnNY (fka New York Organ Donor Network) . LiveOnNY is the leading organization in NY facilitating organ donation to save lives.  The name LiveOnNY is meant to convey the duality and positivity of organ and tissue donation. Through donation, recipients and donors live on. Recipients live on through the selfless act of donors. Donors live on via a legacy made stronger as a result of their donation, and they live on through others.

How you can help:  While of course monetary donations are greatly appreciated and necessary to facilitate LiveOnNY missions, the most important thing that you can do is REGISTER as a Deceased Organ Donor now so that your legacy can live on after you are gone.  Please also look at Renewal to learn more about live organ donation.  Lastly, please share this content on your Facebook or Twitter to help spread the word.

   *** LET YOUR LEGACY LIVE ON !!! CLICK HERE TO REGISETER AS A DONOR WHEN YOUR GONE. ***

My Journey: After many years of mentally preparing ourselves for the reality that Joanne, my wife of 25 years, would need a kidney transplant, the day finally came in March 2013 where it was time for me to be tested to see if I could donate a kidney.

Soon thereafter, I was confronted with a crushing mixed message.  While I was a potential direct match for Joanne, I was not eligible to donate because I had allowed my own health to deteriorate due to poor lifestyle choices. 

While the news was devastating, I decided it would not stop me.  With nurturing support from NY Presbyterian Hospital , a good diet and lots of exercise by the end of the year I was down nearly 50 pounds, blood sugar back to normal and off of blood pressure and high cholesterol medications and most importantly cleared to donate.

On February 6, 2014 I underwent a laparoscopic surgery to remove one of my kidneys which was transplanted to Joanne.  Within 24hrs I was on my feet and within 48 hours I was discharged from the hospital.  I went home for three hours to freshen up and returned to the hospital as a visitor for the next two weeks to comfort Joanne during her recovery.  Within five weeks I was FULLY recovered as if the surgery never happened with no pain, fatigue or visible scars.  Within a few weeks after that I was back on the ski slopes.

It is my understanding that the recovery for most donors is about the same, although the doctors will tell you that I probably should have rested a bit more than I did the first week.  Simply put, the sacrifice was very little relative to how much my life has been enriched physically and spiritually by the journey.

If you get the opportunity to donate a kidney to somebody in your community, I encourage you to get educated and seriously consider it as you have much more to gain and much less to lose than you can possibly imagine.

   *** LET YOUR LEGACY LIVE ON !!! CLICK HERE TO REGISETER AS A DONOR WHEN YOUR GONE. ***


Donate

Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $200 
    • 9 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Richard Kellner
Organizer
Woodbury, NY
NEW YORK ORGAN DONOR NETWORK
 
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.