National Kidney Foundation Partners with Filmmaker to Boost Living Donor Awareness — National Kidney Foundation, Inc.

Event summary

National Kidney Foundation (NKF) collaborates with Tessa Films to launch a kidney donation awareness campaign during Donate Life Month in April 2026.
Award-winning filmmaker Melissa Silverman, diagnosed with kidney failure in 2021, leads the 'LIVING DONOR!' PSA campaign using humor to demystify living kidney donation.
Campaign highlights that 37 million US adults have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), with 90% unaware of their condition, and 12 daily deaths on the kidney transplant waitlist.
NKF aims to increase living donor registrations and empower patients to advocate for themselves through storytelling and outreach.

The big picture

The campaign addresses a critical gap in living kidney donation awareness, where 90% of CKD patients remain undiagnosed. With 12 daily deaths on the waitlist, NKF's partnership with Tessa Films leverages creative storytelling to tackle a systemic public health challenge. The initiative aligns with broader trends in patient advocacy and the use of humor in health education to drive behavioral change.

What we're watching

Awareness Impact: The pace at which the campaign increases living donor registrations and reduces waitlist deaths.
Strategic Reach: How the partnership with Tessa Films expands NKF's audience beyond traditional healthcare channels.
Disease Management: Whether the campaign can shift public perception of CKD and drive earlier diagnosis and intervention.