Entries by ATF Staff

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Living Kidney Donor and Wife Ride 118 Miles to Save Lives!

Once again, the American Transplant Foundation is sending its thanks and kudos to Scott and Amy La Point, the impressive pair of cyclists who conquered 118 miles and 10,000 feet of unforgiving Colorado altitude to raise funds for our Patient Assistance Program.

The La Points’ participation in the legendary Triple Bypass, a Colorado cycling race that starts in Evergreen, ends in Avon, and encompasses three major mountain passes along the way, has helped the ATF provide direct aid to organ donors and recipients in need. The couple surpassed their fundraising goal days before the race even began, and finished with a respectable time despite the brutal July heat.  

Scott La Point is a living kidney donor and transplant activist who gave the gift of life to friend Jim Eastman in 2017. He and his wife Amy have an impressive resume with Team Transplant and have ridden all over Colorado, leaving raised funds and awareness in their wake. After the race, Scott made some closing remarks on Instagram:  

“The 5 a.m. start time was earlier than I wanted to set out, but beating the heat was the name of the game for this year's Triple Bypass. That we wouldn't finish until after 7 p.m. wasn't something I was accustomed to either. But, hey, my wife persevered and did 118 miles and 10,800 feet of climbing. I managed to get in an extra 2 miles and 1,200 feet of climbing with my accordion back-to-back riding (going ahead then back to get Amy), and I was more tired than I'd expected. But we managed to top our goal for the American Transplant Foundation, meaning patients undergoing a transplant can get lifesaving financial assistance. Thanks to all my wonderful donors (money and organ) and friends!” 

The LaPoints have achieved two incredible feats in vanquishing the Bypass- One of the body, and one of the heart. The American Transplant Foundation would again like to thank them, and those who donated to their participation, for their continued support of the transplant community.  

Effective altruism – How to do good in an effective way

“There are many things effective altruists can do. Not only to donate money but also a part of your body”. These are the words of Peter Singer, the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University and Laureate Professor in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne. He connects the donation of organs to the concept of effective altruism. But – what is effective altruism?  

Becoming a living donor is an example that suits especially well in the category of effective altruism since it is a highly effective way to increase human health and contribute to the wellbeing of society.  

Many people want to do good but do not know how. Out of this dilemma effective altruism arose. Its goal is to find the best ways to help others and put them into practice. This can be manifested in many different actions, from choosing a job with a positive impact to donating money, such as within the Save Life Giving Club of the American Transplant Foundation or exploring the many other ways to give altruistically

The American Transplant Foundation is proud to have a lot of altruistic donors within its network. All the 6,400 people who made a living donor transplantation possible in 2022 follow effective altruism principles. One additional aspect of effective altruism lies in the concept of maximizing the benefit for society without prioritizing one's own family or friends. In this context, it is interesting to know that 1 in three living donors donate their organ to a person they have never met before. 

Do you also want to follow the principles of the movement “effective altruism” and become a living donor? You can find all the relevant information here.  

Make a Donation in Honor of a Loved One

Honoring the memory, life, or generosity of a loved one is one of the most meaningful gifts a person can give.  

Marc Geman knew this when he set up a fundraiser in his wife’s name, Elin Robbins-Geman - a mentor at the American Transplant Foundation who passed away last year. She was a well-loved member of the Boulder community, who touched the lives of many through her work as an elementary school teacher and as a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. Elin knew firsthand what the gift of organ donation means to a person, as her daughter’s husband donated his kidney to her in 2006, extending her life an additional sixteen years and allowing her to make countless more memories. In lieu of flowers, and to honor her legacy, the family asked those who knew her to make donations to the American Transplant Foundation. 

Celebrate the lives of the extraordinary people who touched your life by paying it forward. 

Change the life of a transplant recipient by making a donation to the American Transplant Foundation and notify your honoree or honoree’s loved ones with an e-card and personalized message. 100% of your donation goes toward our Patient Assistance Program, a critical program providing emergency financial assistance to transplant patients and living donors when they need it the most.  

Interested in other types of donations? Learn about fundraising, our events, and donating your vehicle. Find information about becoming a living organ donor and view profiles of those in need here. 

Transplant Caregiver Resource Guide!

At the American Transplant Foundation, our goal is to support transplant patients as well as their friends and families! We created a list of financial, educational, and emotional support resources available to the informal caregivers within the transplant community. 

The American Transplant Foundation works to support transplant patients as well as the caregivers who are so important to their care! We have compiled a list of nation-wide financial, educational, and emotional support resources available to those serving as informal transplant caregivers.

Please also take a moment to review our 1+1=LIFE Mentorship Program and Financial Resource Guide.

If you have any questions or information relevant to this guide, please email support@americantransplantfoundation.org.


Download here

Living Donor Laws, Rights, and Tax Credits

Are you interested in saving a life through living donation?

At the American Transplant Foundation, our passion is helping patients navigate through their transplant journeys. We strive to provide the most up-to-date information on Living Donation so that you can be well informed when choosing to give the gift of life!

Download Here

ATF’s 2023 Financial Resource Guide!

Check Out American Transplant Foundation's 2023 Financial Resource Guide

Our goal is to provide up-to-date information on financial, educational, and emotional support resources for transplant recipients, living organ donors, and their families!


Download Here

Update: 3-year-old Nya found a kidney!

3-year-old Nya found a kidney!


Click Here For Details On How You Can Help Nya 

Update: Since the below blog has been posted, Nya has found a living kidney donor! 💚 Words from her mother: "We’re so grateful! Thank you for your help in providing a space to help find potential donors. It really is incredibly important to have as many resources as possible."

My name is Deanna, and I am asking for your help to save my daughter Nya's life.

Nya is a 3 year old old twin from San Jose, CA. She loves bubbles, playing with balls, and Bubble guppies.

Nya’s life has been greatly impacted by her End Stage Renal Disease. She has been hospitalized almost half her life. She is on dialysis, over 10 medications, daily injections and is 100% tube fed. 

The most difficult thing for us about waiting for a transplant is watching Nya suffer when she’s not feeling well. Slowly watching her health decline is heartbreaking.

We are desperately seeking a living organ donor for Nya. 

The waiting list for a deceased donor kidney could take years. The longer she is on dialysis, the more risk she has for serious infections and complications. Finding a living donor would mean giving Nya a second chance at life. A life without machines to keep her alive.

Both myself and her dad are not a match, she needs a type O- or O+ kidney donor. 

Living donor transplants generally have better outcomes and can be arranged at a time convenient for both parties. No waiting and wondering while my body continues to weaken. More so, this surgery is covered for both the donor and the recipient under my health insurance!

If you have any questions or concerns about the living donation process in any aspect, please sign up for the American Transplant Foundation's Potential Living Donor Database and we can provide you with any resources you may need, including speaking with a living organ donor directly.

I would appreciate you sharing this information with anyone that you know who might be interested or a match. 

Thank you so much for your consideration!

Deanna- Nya's Mother


Learn about our Living Donor Database

This program is completely free to those on the transplant waitlist. If you can't save a life by becoming a living organ donor, you can also support this lifesaving initiative by making a financial donation in Nya's honor here.

In memory of David Landsberg: Transplant Hero

David Landsberg of the Society for Organ Donor Awareness launched the national Donors Rock Ride in Texas on July 4, 2011, the anniversary of his kidney transplant. David cycled 50 miles in 50 states in 50 days to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation! Members of our Team Transplant joined him in 2011 as he rode through Colorado.

David passed away in July of this year. Below is a tribute from David's older sister, Leslie, about his amazing life and his advocacy for organ donation.

David’s life was riddled with health challenges. In his 20’s, he was diagnosed with Bilateral PKD (Bilateral Polycystic Kidney Disease) He took AMAZINGLY good care of himself, reached out for all kinds of unconventional treatments, everything you can imagine. By the time he went into full renal failure, the physicians at Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland had never seen a living person with kidneys as large or engorged as his were. Due to infection, he had to have one removed and then the other, and was put on the kidney transplant list.

While he was on the transplant list, David is the only person, that anyone knows of, who completed a triathlon with no kidneys and no spleen.
On July 4th, 1999 he received the kidney that would keep him alive. After the transplant, David completed an Ironman. A feat for any human, let alone someone with one kidney. Another amazing accomplishment after all he had gone through.

He then spent much of this time speaking to other dialysis patients about life on dialysis. He used the gifts and talents he had to educate the general public about the importance of organ donation. 

David would speak to anyone who would listen. He was, at that time in his life, a massage therapist, and the director at Texas Massage Institute. He was the ‘Poster Child’ for Parkland; his image was in the hallways for all to see. He gave a free chair massage in exchange for the recipient taking an organ donor card with them, just to think about it.

He needed to keep making his statement louder and louder in order to be heard. Otherwise, David was ‘just a guy’. He created what he called 50/50/50: To ride his bike 50 miles around the capital of each State, in exactly 50 days. David was interviewed on radio and television, as this was such an outrageous thing to do… no one had ever done this… and to date, no one else ever has.

David would ask “Did you know that if one was to donate every single body part from veins, to skin grafts, to earlobes and eyeballs you could impact around 75 lives?” 

So, I write this as a tribute to David. You could be giving someone else the gift of life. 

At the time of his passing, David still had a fully functioning kidney, however he had developed and ultimately died of Glioblastoma. A fatal cancerous brain tumor.

Each of us has only one life to live but many lives to give.

Rest in Peace my dear brother. You WILL be remembered.

David's Story

Trivia For Life: Sports Edition 2021

Trivia For Life: Sports Edition 2021 was a huge success! We would like to thank everyone who attended and donated to help us surpass our goal, raising $9,000 for the most vulnerable transplant recipients nationwide.

Participants tested their sports knowledge through sports clips, movie clips, music, and pictures rounds-  it was a real nail biter!

We are looking forward to bringing our Trivia For Life events back in person, but have had so much fun with virtual trivia!