Laurie Lee
HOST OF DONOR DIARIES PODCAST
NON-DIRECTED LIVING KIDNEY DONOR
Co-founder of GiftWorks
Producer of the movie, Abundant
About Laurie
Laurie Lee, a native of the Chicago area, donated her kidney to a stranger as a non-directed donor in 2016 at Northwestern Medicine, initiating a six-person kidney chain. Her decision to donate was deeply influenced by her father, Dan Dickinson, who received a life-saving liver transplant from a deceased donor in 2011. Motivated by a desire to give back to the system that saved her father’s life, Laurie has dedicated the past decade to advancing advocacy for living donation and supporting families in need of life-saving transplants.
Laurie is a founding member of Transplant Village, an organization dedicated to the future of organ transplantation at Northwestern Medicine. In her role, she facilitates the Donor Champion Program, a monthly workshop that equips kidney and liver patients and their families with strategies to attract living donors. She takes great satisfaction in connecting with fellow living donors and values the close-knit community of donors she is part of, describing it as “the best club she has ever had the privilege to be a part of.”
In 2023, Laurie co-founded GiftWorks with business partner, Amber Khan. GiftWorks is a comprehensive program designed to support both transplant recipients and living donors through education, support, and advocacy. With the philosophy that living donation is most effective when both recipients and donors are equally empowered and supported, GiftWorks completed a successful pilot program at the University of Utah Health (UUH) in 2023. Since that time, GiftWorks and the University of Utah Health have continued to collaborate, share ideas, and expand their partnership.
Laurie is dedicated to impactful projects within the transplant field. She played a key role in organizing the 2018 Donor Rally, which set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of living organ donors, with 410 participants. Currently, Laurie is deeply involved as a producer for the feature documentary film Abundant, which examines the concept of abundance through the lens of non-directed organ donation.
Laurie views this project as a crucial catalyst for societal change, aiming to prompt attention and action to prevent the unnecessary suffering and loss experienced by those awaiting organ transplants. She is committed to connecting with individuals who share her vision of expanding the donor pool to ensure that no one has to wait for a life-saving transplant.
Featured Projects
GiftWorks
GiftWorks is the result of people choosing to come together to share ideas, skills, resources, and innovative strategies to save lives. Formally established in 2023 by business partners Laurie Lee and Amber Khan, two successful entrepreneurs, GiftWorks intends to become a transformative leader in the field of organ transplantation. The GiftWorks’ program has three pillars designed to serve both recipients and those who step forward to become living donors: education, support, and advocacy. GiftWorks believes recipients and their living donors should feel equally supported, empowered, and part of an amazing exchange that is both lifesaving and beautiful.
Abundant, Feature Film
Abundant is a compelling feature documentary that delves into the transformative power of non-directed organ donation through a series of poignant and inspiring stories of non-directed donors. The film explores the concept of abundance by highlighting the profound impact of generosity to strangers in the realm of organ donation. Through intimate interviews with a wide range of experts and powerful narratives, Abundant sheds light on the experiences of donors and recipients, revealing the profound connections and life-changing outcomes that arise from giving and receiving. The documentary aims to raise awareness, foster understanding, and inspire action by showcasing the remarkable human stories behind non-directed organ donation. It’s a movie about how generosity creates abundance. Abundant will be screened on tour across the country in 2025.
Donor Champion Program
The Donor Champion Program is designed to help you discover effective ways to find a living donor. This program is led by living donors, transplant recipients, caregivers, and advocates who are eager to share their personal experiences with you. Through this program, you will acquire skills to effectively communicate your story and overcome the apprehension of asking for a living donor.
Developed through a collaboration between the Northwestern Medicine Organ Transplant Center, Transplant Village, and the Living Kidney Donors Network, the Donor Champion Program is tailored to support you throughout your kidney or liver transplant journey. Our goal is to empower you to actively engage in the process, as we have observed that proactive and determined efforts by individuals in need of a living donor transplant often lead to successful connections with living donors.
National Kidney Donation Organization (NKDO)
Laurie is a member and former board member of the National Kidney Donation Organization. She enjoys collaborating on meaningful projects with fellow living donors and cherishes her time spent with the NKDO kidney donor community.