In this episode of Let's Talk Transplant, Michael Lollo sits down with the remarkable LJ, also known as the "Queen with One Bean". A certified psychic recognized as "Psychic of the Year" in 2022 and the current American Miss National Mrs. 2024, LJ shares her harrowing and inspiring health journey.

After suffering from a spinal injury and severe abdominal pain, LJ was diagnosed with Nutcracker Syndrome—a condition where the left renal vein is compressed like a nut in a nutcracker. Facing a nephrectomy to relieve her pain, LJ made a groundbreaking decision: rather than just discarding the kidney, she fought to donate it, becoming a pioneer in donating a kidney due to Nutcracker Syndrome.

In this episode, we discuss:

• LJ’s 16 surgeries and her struggle to get a proper diagnosis.
• The life-changing "LRVT" surgery and the decision to donate her kidney at Weill Cornell.
• Her partnership with the National Kidney Registry (NKR) to launch the Nutcracker Centers of Excellence, which has already established 10 centers to help patients cure their condition through donation.
• LJ’s dual life as a psychic medium and how she uses her intuition
• Why self-advocacy is critical when navigating the medical system.

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Is the organ shortage a solvable problem? According to this week's guest, creative director and podcaster David Krissman, the answer is a resounding yes. He argues that we don't have a shortage of organs; we have a shortage of people who know that living donation is a possibility.

In this compelling episode, host Michael Lollo sits down with David, the creator of the acclaimed podcast documentary "The Great Social Experiment," to discuss the complex world of kidney failure in America. David shares how his own debilitating, unexplained illness gave him a profound empathy for the chronically ill and led him to immerse himself in the transplant community.

David explains that expecting patients—who are often too sick to work and are just trying to make it to the next day—to also run a full-time campaign to find a living donor is an unrealistic burden. He details his journey from storyteller to activist, starting with "patient zero," Laquia Goldring, a courageous woman he helped find a voucher donor for against incredible odds. That success story became his "North Star" and inspired his latest initiative, a program that helps patients tell their stories to find a living donor.

Discover how David's "Angel Advocates" program is changing the game by creating the media, mobilizing communities, and leveraging the power of a simple social media share. Learn how you can become an Angel Advocate and help save a life in less than two minutes a week. This is a must-listen episode for anyone who believes in the power of community and storytelling to create miracles.

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Episode 4: A Donor’s Legacy, A Daughter’s Mission

In this deeply moving episode of Let’s Talk Transplant, host Michael Lollo sits down with kidney donor, advocate, and National Kidney Donation Organization (NKDO) team member Kelly Schmitt to share a story of profound loss, extraordinary generosity, and the enduring power of organ donation.

Kelly opens up about her mother Darlene’s unexpected passing and the critical decision she and her father made to donate her organs — even though Darlene hadn’t checked the donor box on her license. That one decision changed more than 75 lives and set Kelly on a life-changing path of advocacy.

Years later, Kelly donated her own kidney to a stranger — a man who is now part of her extended family. She recounts their powerful bond, the emotional highs and challenges of the donation process, and how her experience as both a donor family member and living donor shapes her work today.

This episode touches on everything from honoring a loved one’s legacy, to navigating grief, to becoming a mentor for future donors. Kelly’s story is a testament to the ripple effect of one “yes,” and a must-listen for anyone impacted by or interested in the world of living donation and transplant advocacy.

🎧 Listen now to hear:

• What it was like to decide on organ donation during crisis
• How Kelly’s mom and dad became heroes through donation
• The journey to donating her kidney to a stranger
• How advocacy became her full-time mission

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