Dialysis survivor champions organ donation with children's book

Kendall Brunson, a New Jersey man who endured seven and a half years of dialysis, is now celebrating a new lease on life – and encouraging others to consider organ donation. His story, culminating in a kidney transplant and a heartwarming children’s book, arrives just in time for Donate Life Month.

From machine dependence to musical revival

Brunson’s journey, as he describes it, was a “rollercoaster” of emotions. The debilitating effects of kidney failure forced him to curtail his duties as director of the Pemberton Township Recreation Department and sideline his passion for playing the trumpet at military ceremonies – a tradition honoring his father’s service. “You’re not tied to a machine,” he reflects, the freedom of mobility after the 2019 transplant a profound shift from the constant constraints of dialysis.

But Brunson didn't simply embrace his renewed health; he channeled it into a creative endeavor. “Kidneys Kount: The Chronicles of Kenny and Kimora,” a children's book aimed at demystifying organ donation, is a testament to his desire to give back. The book, cleverly introducing pediatric patients to the concept through the adventures of two baby kidneys, has garnered praise from the Gift of Life Donor Program. “It really warms our hearts to know that most transplant recipients want to be able to give back after they’ve received that gift of life,” notes Rick Hasz, president and CEO of the program, which facilitated Brunson’s transplant.

The story extends beyond the book. Brunson's recent marriage to Tiffany, his friend and prayer partner of fifteen years, marked another joyous milestone in 2024. Tiffany, who playfully admits to pushing him to finish the book, recognizes the power of his ideas. “I feel elated,” she says, “because he has such brilliant ideas, and I’m just: 'Stop holding it in. Put it out. Put it out. Put it out.'