Hi! My name is Ei Meeker (he/him).
I’m grateful to share that last May, Ken, an incredible friend and all-around beautiful human being, made a living kidney donation on my behalf. He's doing great, and his gift enabled me to receive a "Voucher" through the National Kidney Registry (NKR), which prioritizes my case when I reach the point of imminent need.
Well, that time has come -- in April 2026, I was "activated" on the NKR, which means the search for a new Type O kidney is on. I need a match as soon as possible. My team at Weill Cornell is leading this search, but tells me it could take 6-9 months (and much shorter if an O donor comes forward for me).​
The need for donors is still great. Not just for me but for so many others.
You can still help by registering to become a potential living kidney donor, or by spreading my appeal to anyone you know — there are thousands of people waiting for a transplant.
Your selfless act could save someone else’s life, just like Ken's decision gave me the possibility for a healthier, more fulfilling future.
Please share GoTeamEi.com widely, and know how much I appreciate your support.
From Hope to Match:
My Transplant Story
I found a donor — but this journey is far from over.
April 10, 2026
The Active Search is Now On!
Positive News:
I've just received the amazing news that I'm finally being **activated on the National Kidney Registry**, marking a significant milestone in my journey. The search for an optimal kidney match is now underway, and I'm eager to take this step towards renewed health.
Challenge:
as a blood type O individual, the search may take some time, potentially 6-9 months Your support and help in sharing my story would be invaluable, as life-changing matches often come from unexpected places. This could significantly shorten my wait time.
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Love,
Ei
November 5, 2025
Hi friends! I’m so grateful—thanks to my friend Ken’s kidney donation in May, I have a transplant voucher ready for the new year. I’ll be listed on January 1st and can’t wait for Weill Cornell to find the perfect match through Weill Cornell's Living Donor Paired Donation Program.
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Please bookmark this page or add it to your desktop if you’d like to reach out directly—I’ll be posting all important updates here, and you’ll be able to contact me as well.
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In the meantime, I hope you and your loved ones have a peaceful and healthy holiday season.
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Love,
Ei
August, 2025
A third amazing friend has answered my appeal for a kidney and been cleared to donate, an all-around extraordinary human, Nora. She donated to a child as an "altruistic donor", giving the gift of her healthy kidney to someone in need for the sole reason of being able to help a stranger (who happened to be a child) -- changing lives! I am overwhelmingly grateful.
July 15, 2025
I am now in the “middle” of my kidney transplant journey. I hit a spectacular benchmark in May when a dear friend, Ken, became an Advanced Living Kidney Donor for me. This means that now I wait to be “listed” with the Weill Cornell Kidney & Pancreas Transplant Program and move on to the next stage of a well-coordinated, complicated effort. Once I am listed, they start the search, notify me immediately of a match (which could take 3-6 months, or not...), and the procedure is scheduled. I will keep you posted here.
But this post is not about me: it’s about two spectacular people I was able to connect: Linda Watnick and Richard Reese Jr. Two once-strangers, 500 miles apart, worked together to form a life-saving kidney connection.
**Richard** decided that he really wanted to donate to me, but when Ken completed the donor process first (love you, Kenji!), Richard had another decision to make: STOP NOW or KEEP GOING? He decided to keep going and...
*** one week ago, Richard donated his kidney to Linda!***
In an incredibly short 45 days from first contact to surgery, Richard and Linda pulled it off last week, and both are home now, starting the healing process. In fact, their kidneys, antibodies, DNA, and eplets were one of the most compatible matches that their surgical teams had ever seen: truly incredible!
Congrats to Richard and Linda! I am so joyous to have played a part in this story of stellar humanity.
“Friend” them if you want to learn more about what their experiences. They have a lot to teach us about diligence and hope. Weill Cornell and The National Kidney Foundation is also an excellent place to learn more.
I hope when my transplant comes I feel as hopeful and enthusiastic.
Dear family, friends, colleagues, and community,
I hope this message finds you well, despite the challenging times many of us are having right now. You know me as a brother, uncle, son, friend, colleague, neighbor, teacher, pet-sitter, client, mentor, or fellow activist, and I truly consider each of you a vital part of my well-being.
I recently entered End-Stage Renal Disease, a worsening development in my polycystic kidney disease, and I've just started the daunting process of a kidney transplant.
This includes reaching out to every person I know to ask them to consider being a living donor,
or to help me find a donor.
Click the button below to help me share my story.
About Me
I’m a passionate and hard-working person who tries to make a lasting impact through my actions and the opportunities I take, whether it’s personally developing into a stronger, more open-hearted person; guiding students (as a Health and English teacher over the last 20 years) to make healthier decisions; being a reliable family member, friend, and colleague; or using my voice to promote equity for vulnerable groups, especially people living with HIV, my LGBTQIA2s+ community, and immigrant youth and their families.
