Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD) Launches Wish Upon a Donor: A Hope-Focused Advocacy Program Helping Kids Who Need Kidneys Find Living Donors

TOLEDO, OHIO / ACCESS Newswire / December 9, 2025 / The Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD) is proud to announce Wish Upon a Donor, a groundbreaking program that amplifies the voices of families fighting for a better and brighter future for their child. While pediatric kidney patients cannot advocate for themselves, their parents can – and too often, they face this battle alone. Wish Upon a Donor helps families share their child’s story, shining a light on their hopes, dreams, and urgent need for a living kidney donor.

“At APKD, we believe every person waiting for a transplant deserves a chance to be seen – not just as a patient, but as someone with a past, present, and future worth fighting for,” said Dr. Hilary Baude, Director of Living Donor Services. “Wish Upon a Donor is built on hope. It’s about wishes, dreams, and the life possible after a transplant – all made real through the generosity of a living donor.”

More than 3,000 children in the U.S. under the age of 18 need a kidney transplant. In many cases, their parents and immediate family are unable to donate for medical reasons beyond their control. Wish Upon a Donor was created to give these children a fighting chance by helping them find the hero they desperately need.

The average wait time for receiving a kidney from a deceased donor ranges from three to five years, leaving many children waiting, clinging to hope while sending quiet wishes for a miracle. Finding a living donor can dramatically accelerate the transplant process while offering the added benefit of stronger long-term health outcomes. A kidney from a living donor lasts twice as long as one from a deceased donor.

“When you ask a child who is facing an uncertain future what they wish for, it’s both inspiring and heartbreaking,” Baude said. “They long to play sports again, to travel, hang out with family and friends or simply have the opportunity to grow up without the diminished quality of life on dialysis. Dialysis keeps people alive, but it is brutal, exhausting, and painful – and it is not a cure. What these patients need is a living donor.”

The onboarding process is fast and simple, taking just 10-15 minutes to complete, and finalized videos are sent to patients in just one to three days. Participation is free, and patients retain full control over how and where their stories are shared.

Wish Upon a Donor offers a range of support for families as they seek living donors, including:

• Production of a personalized, high-quality video designed to reflect the patient’s wishes, personality, and future – not just their disease

• Dedicated campaign webpage to make it easy to convert interest into action

• QR-coded postcards and magnets for sharing in local communities

• Read moreConwy Care Home Multi-Professional Response wins Secure I.T. Environments Sponsored award at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Achievement Awards

  Social media guidance to help families and supporters spread the word

• Spanish- and English-language outreach materials for broader access

• A living donor mentor to answer any non-medical questions about the process

• “Wish buddy” volunteers to assist with video narration and/or sharing patient videos with a broader audience

When interest is generated through the Wish Upon a Donor campaign, APKD ensures both patients and transplant centers are effectively supported with guidance grounded in real-life experience from a dedicated living donor mentor. The organization manages all incoming donor inquiries, educates potential donors on the process, protections, and realities of living donations, and then refers qualified donors to an appropriate transplant center partner. APKD maintains communication and support throughout the evaluation and donation process. This approach empowers potential donors with education while easing the burden on transplant centers.

“We feel grateful for the kindness and understanding shown by APKD,” said Radwa Moussa, mother of 10-year-old Saleem, one of the first Wish Upon a Donor participants. “This is a very challenging and uncertain time for families like ours, and the extra support being offered gives us hope that we will find a hero for our son, someone who makes his wish for a bright future come true.”

You can view Saleem’s personal video here.

If your child is experiencing kidney failure and could benefit from this initiative, please visit Wish Upon a Donor Patient to learn more and get started.

How to Support This Initiative

Those who want to support Wish Upon a Donor have several ways to get involved, including:

• Signing up to be a living donor for a specific child, or as a Good Samaritan donor

• Becoming a “wish buddy” volunteer

• Sharing the kidney campaigns for children within social networks

• Contributing financially to APKD to further the program’s reach

• Learning more about living donation and deciding how you can contribute

Individuals interested in taking the next step can visit Wish Upon a Donor.

Transplant centers and other organizations interested in learning more can visit Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation.

“Everyone can play a part, which is what makes this so beautiful,” Baude said. “You can be a living donor, or you can simply take a moment of your time to help share the stories of children who need help. Either way, you are a hero in the eyes of APKD and the thousands of kids who need a new kidney.”

About the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation

The Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD) is an international nonprofit working to end kidney failure through innovation, technology, advocacy, and paired kidney exchange. APKD has facilitated more than 1,200 transplants to date, creating lifesaving opportunities for patients who might otherwise wait years for a compatible donor.

SOURCE: Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire