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For the Season 4 finale of Donor Diaries, Laurie sits down with Abundant director and co-producer Donald Griswold to talk about what really happened behind the scenes of making a documentary about living kidney donation.

Abundant started with an idea: What if we told the story of living donation in a way that felt less like a medical story and more like a story about people, relationships, and connection?

That simple idea turned into a four-year journey.

Laurie and Donald talk about the nationwide casting process, finding non-directed donors who were willing to share their stories, and why being “likable” was such an important part of choosing the people who would appear in the film. They revisit Crowdsource for Life at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas, the chaos of pulling off a one-day production, the mic that failed almost immediately, and the moment when everything somehow came together.

They also talk about the responsibility that comes with making a film that could inspire someone to consider becoming a living donor. How do you tell a compelling story without making donation seem simple or risk-free? How do you create inspiration without turning donors into heroes? And what happens when someone watches the film and thinks, Maybe I could do this?

The conversation gets into the impact strategy behind Abundant, including connecting potential donors with resources, helping people understand their options, finding a transplant center, and connecting with other donors.

Most of all, this episode is about connection: the people who said yes, the people who helped make the film, and the unexpected ways one person’s decision to donate can ripple outward.

And after four years, Abundant is finally out in the world.

Links

Buy Abundant Here
Movie Trailer
Abundant Impact Strategy
Racial Disparity in Transplant
Become and Affiliate: email info@maitririverproductions.com

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GiftWorks Website
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