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A living donor says "yes." The transplant center says "no." What happens next?

This week on Donor Diaries, we sit down with Diane Hollingsworth, President and CEO of Eversight, a longtime leader in organ and tissue donation, and a two-time kidney transplant recipient. Diane has spent decades helping restore sight through cornea donation while also navigating the transplant journey herself, giving her a perspective that's both deeply personal and professionally unique.

Diane's kidney disease was discovered during a high-risk pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. She shares what it was like balancing a newborn in the NICU, young children at home, and the reality of starting dialysis before receiving a life-changing kidney from her mother. That first transplant lasted an incredible 33 years.

When it came time for a second transplant, Diane faced an obstacle many families don't expect. One transplant center declined her husband as a living donor, while another approved him. We discuss why transplant centers can make different decisions, how committee reviews influence the process, and how kidney paired exchange allowed her husband, Dave, to donate to a stranger so Diane could receive a compatible kidney before ever needing dialysis again.

Along the way, we also talk about:

• What the transplant evaluation and listing process really looks like
• Why wait times vary depending on where you're listed and your blood type
• How researching transplant centers and asking questions can open new opportunities
• A beautiful real-life example of how kidney paired exchange changes lives
• The emotional reality of recovering while your donor is in another hospital

Then we explore a topic we haven't covered before on Donor Diaries: cornea donation.

As President and CEO of Eversight, Diane explains what cornea donation is, what tissue is actually transplanted, how eye banks recover and transport donated tissue, why there isn't a waitlist for corneal transplants in the United States, and how donated tissue is restoring sight through transplantation while also advancing research and medical education.

Whether you're waiting for a transplant, considering becoming a living donor, or simply want to better understand how the donation system works, Diane's story is filled with practical advice, hope, and a reminder that persistence, advocacy, and asking the right questions can make all the difference.

Links

Eversight
Diane Hollingsworth

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