How I found an organ donor through digital storytelling | Marc Coronel | TEDxLogan Circle

Quick Overview

Marc Coronel successfully used storytelling via social media campaigns to find a living kidney donor after facing a 10-year wait for a deceased donor and undergoing arduous dialysis, ultimately inspiring others to actively ask for help and connection in their own times of need.

Key Points: Coronel was on a kidney transplant waitlist for 10 years, relying on dialysis three and a half hours, three times a week, before receiving a kidney from a living donor. His own biological sister was not a match, but his sister's best friend stepped forward as a donor after Coronel began sharing his story publicly. He used social media campaigns, including hashtags, to share his story, emphasizing that people want to help but often do not know how. Coronel highlighted the debilitating nature of his dialysis treatment, noting that he was unable to urinate and felt he was going blind while undergoing the procedure. The speaker advocates for proactively telling one's story and asking for possibilities when facing a crisis, contrasting the 10-year wait for a deceased donor versus the rapid success with a living donor found through outreach. The talk concludes by emphasizing the power of being seen and speaking out loud to create action and connection for those in need.

Context: Marc Coronel, a former amateur boxer, shares his personal journey battling kidney disease, specifically Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), which led to him needing dialysis for years. The presentation focuses on the emotional and physical toll of waiting for a deceased donor organ while simultaneously advocating for the power of personal storytelling and vulnerability to inspire action and find living donors.

Detailed Analysis

Marc Coronel opens by establishing his background as a former amateur boxer who had to fight for his life, contrasting that physical struggle with his medical battle. He reveals that he was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare kidney disease causing scarring, and was on the deceased donor waitlist for 10 years, undergoing dialysis three and a half hours, three times a week. During this time, he feared going blind and was placed on an emergency catheter to start dialysis. When his biological sister was not a match for a kidney, Coronel decided to do something he never thought he would: share his story on social media. He ran campaigns using hashtags, hoping someone would hear his story. The breakthrough came when his sister's best friend stepped forward as a living donor. Coronel uses this experience to argue that people are willing to help those in need but often don't know how; storytelling creates the necessary action and connection. He contrasts the decade-long wait for a deceased donor with the immediate positive response he received after being vulnerable and vocal about his need.