Why Your Voice Matters in Transplant
Your transplant journey is personal, but you’re also part of a larger community. Explore resources and opportunities designed to help you get involved at your own pace.
Medically reviewed by Jessie J. Danforth RN, BSN
Last updated: September 8, 2026
Medically reviewed by Jessie J. Danforth RN, BSN
Last updated: September 8, 2026
Every transplant journey is unique, and every experience has something valuable to offer. Whether you’re looking to share your story, support others, or learn more about advocacy, this page offers a starting point to help you explore what feels right for you.
What advocacy can look like
You do not need to be a public speaker or community leader to be an advocate. Advocacy exists on a spectrum, and even small actions can help support other transplant recipients and raise awareness. For some people, advocacy means sharing their story. For others, it means volunteering, mentoring, or supporting awareness efforts. What matters most is finding a path that feels meaningful to you.
Here are some ways to advocate:
Share your story
Your experience may help someone who is newly diagnosed, waiting for a transplant, or adjusting to life after transplant.
Join community events
Events like Transplant Games bring recipients, donors, families, and transplant professionals together to celebrate connection and community.
Support organ donation awareness
Volunteer with organizations that help educate the public about organ donation and the impact it can have on others.
Get involved in advocacy efforts
Whether it’s signing a petition, participating in a campaign, or sharing your experience, advocacy can help raise awareness about issues that matter to the transplant community.
Advocacy resources & organizations
The transplant community is supported by a network of organizations dedicated to education, connection, and advocacy. Whether you’re looking for support, resources, or ways to get involved, these organizations can help.
American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)
Provides education, advocacy, patient-engagement programs, and connections to kidney-patient communities and independent support groups. AAKP describes itself as the oldest and largest independent kidney-patient organization in the U.S.
American Kidney Fund (AKF)
Provides health education, financial assistance to eligible patients, and patient support programs for people living with kidney disease and transplant recipients, with a focus on equitable access to care.
American Society of Transplantation (AST) — Power2Save
An American Society of Transplantation initiative offering transplant-professional-created and reviewed education, advocacy opportunities, community stories, and information for people affected by donation and transplantation.
American Transplant Foundation
Provides patient support programs, financial assistance resources, and advocacy initiatives to help transplant patients navigate their journey.
Donate Life America
Leads national organ, eye, and tissue donation registration efforts and awareness campaigns to help educate communities about the importance of donation.
National Kidney Foundation (NKF)
Provides advocacy programs, peer mentoring, educational resources, and community support for people living with kidney disease and transplant recipients.
The Transplant Journey
Offers peer mentorship, educational resources, and guidance to empower transplant patients and their families with the knowledge and connection they need throughout the transplant journey.
Transplant Life Foundation
Serves transplant recipients, living donors, donor families, and caregivers through education, advocacy, and community programs, including as the organizing body of the Transplant Games of America and publisher of TransplantNATION magazine.
Transplants.org
A nonprofit resource that helps patients and families compare transplant centers across the U.S. by volume and outcomes, and provides expert-vetted educational resources for every stage of the transplant journey.
TRIO (Transplant Recipients International Organization)
A patient-led organization offering support, education, and advocacy opportunities for transplant recipients, candidates, living donors, and donor families.
Supporting organ donation awareness
Many transplant recipients carry a deep sense of gratitude for their donor and donor family. Supporting organ donation awareness is one way to honor that gift and help others waiting for a transplant. Raising awareness can be as simple as registering as a donor, encouraging others to register, or sharing information about the need for organ donation. Every conversation can make a difference.
Today, more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for an organ transplant.1 Increasing awareness and donor registration helps create more opportunities for life-saving transplants. To learn more, register as a donor, or explore advocacy opportunities, visit Donate Life America .
Every transplant story becomes part of something bigger. The experiences, insights, and perspectives you gain along the way can help others feel informed, supported, and less alone. However you choose to engage, your voice is a valuable part of the transplant community.
Stories and perspectives from transplant patients
The views expressed are those of the patient based on their individual experience. Experiences and outcomes may vary from person to person.
Related Content
Supporting you through the transplant journey
CareDx provides transplant testing, patient support, and educational resources to help transplant recipients.
Curated resources to support your transplant journey
Explore expert-curated books, guides, and resources supporting patients and caregivers throughout the transplant journey.
What to expect on the transplant journey
Each stage explained, from early conversations through post-surgery life, so you can feel prepared.
Health Resources and Services Administration. Organ Donation Statistics. organdonor.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, last reviewed May 2025, https://www.organdonor.gov/learn/organ-donation-statistics. Accessed June 24, 2026.
CareDx is committed to providing scientifically supported educational content for transplant recipients and caregivers. All content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as medical advice or replace guidance from your healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your transplant team with any questions you may have regarding your specific medical condition.
External links are provided for informational purposes only. CareDx does not endorse, recommend, or have any affiliation with any third-party organizations, websites, or resources referenced on this page.