Living kidney donation is often misunderstood — frequently associated with crisis or heroism, rather than with thoughtful care, ethics and shared humanity.

In this episode of Medically Speaking, Dr. Eve Glazier explores living kidney donation through the real experiences of those who live it from every side. She's joined by Dr. Anjay Rastogi, director of UCLA Health's CORE Kidney Program, along with Phillip Palmer, ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor and a living kidney donor, and Nanette Zumwalt, a transplant recipient who lived for years with polycystic kidney disease.

Together, they discuss what it truly means to share life — how donors are protected, how recipients navigate gratitude and vulnerability, and how comprehensive programs like CORE Kidney support patients and families from early disease through transplant and beyond. Grounded in evidence and lived experience, this conversation reframes kidney donation not as a moment of heroism, but as an extraordinary intersection of science, trust and humanity.

Learn more about the Core Kidney Program at https://www.uclahealth.org/programs/core-kidney.

🎧 Tune in here.

Podcast Credits
UCLA Health Medically Speaking with Dr. Eve Glazier

Host
Dr. Eve Glazier

Executive Producers
Annie Krasnow
Michael Burke
Suzanne Koudsi Walker

Producers
Niki Miller
Jessica Alabastro

Creative Producer
Kanza Shaheen

Technical Directors
Adrian Cardoso
Andrew Stocks

Editor
Tony Sweet

Recorded at
Canella Media

Special Thanks
To our expert guests and the incredible staff across UCLA Health who make this podcast possible. A special thank you to Johnese Spisso, President of UCLA Health and CEO of the UCLA Hospital System, for her visionary leadership and support. We are also grateful to the patients and families whose stories inspire our work every day.

Produced by
UCLA Health Communications & Marketing

For More Information
Visit: ⁠https://www.uclahealth.org/medicallyspeaking

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.