Every June Nevada Donor Network is honored to celebrate Pride Month, and as it comes to an end in 2025, we would like to share the story of a heroic donor who gave the ultimate gift through organ donation. Meet Michael. He saved the lives of four others through his heart, kidneys and liver.
His Widower Nicolas shared, “Michael lived his life the way most of us only hope to with open arms, a full heart and a generosity that knew no bounds. He had this quiet, steady way of making people feel safe, seen and deeply loved. Whether he was offering a helping hand, a warm smile or one of his perfectly timed jokes, Michael always gave freely of his time, his energy and his heart. It only made sense that even after his passing, he continued to do what came so naturally to him: give. Through organ donation, Michael saved and transformed the lives of several strangers he never met, but whose stories are now forever intertwined with his. It is the kind of heroism that humbles you. That reminds you how powerful one life can be. He was and will always be a real-life hero not just to those who received his gift of life, but to everyone who was lucky enough to love him. And now, in ways we never would have imagined, Michael continues to watch over others, a guardian angel in every sense of the word. His legacy lives on in every heartbeat he helped restore, in every breath he made possible. And while our hearts will always ache with his absence, they are also forever fuller because of the way he lived and gave so completely.”
We are honored to recognize the gift of life that Michael gave to four others. When it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, one of the most common myths and misconceptions related to donation is that they think they are not eligible to be an organ donor. The truth is that anyone can register to be a heroic donor and give the ultimate gift. An individual’s gender, gender expression or identity and sexual orientation does not prevent them from being an organ donor (deceased or living). Ultimately, the decision to be a heroic donor is a noble and selfless final legacy to leave behind.
The most frequent question that gets brought up is regarding sexually active gay men or others who may have been told they cannot donate blood products due to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) blood donation restrictions. On May 11, 2023, the FDA issued final guidance regarding an individual donor assessment for all blood donors regardless of gender or sexual orientation. The criteria used to determine which organs can be donated are based on a person’s medical condition at the time of their passing, and they are not the same criteria used to determine who can donate blood.
At the same time, an individual’s gender, gender expression or identity and sexual orientation has no determination over whether they are able to receive an organ transplant. Anyone can receive an organ transplant who has been evaluated by a transplant center and determined to be medically fit to go through the transplantation process. In 2013, President Obama signed into law the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act which allows for HIV-to-HIV organ transplantation. At the beginning of the decade, nearly 200 people living with HIV had received lifesaving organ transplants from heroic donors who also had or have HIV because of the HOPE Act. It not only allows heroic donors that have passed away who had been living with HIV to give the ultimate gift through organ donation, it is now possible for people living with HIV to donate one of their kidneys or a portion of their liver as a living donor. These gifts of life can be given to patients on the national organ transplant waiting list who are also living with HIV.
We honor the heroes in our LGBTQ+ community who have made the decision to be a heroic donor and encourage those who have not made the decision to register here!