Oscar nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg revealed live on the TODAY show that he is donating one of his kidneys to a complete stranger in mid December, calling the decision a no brainer for anyone with the time and inclination. The 42 year old star of The Social Network and Now You See Me has always been a big blood donor, but he’s taking his giving to another level by making what’s known as an altruistic donation to a person with advanced kidney disease whom he does not know personally. Eisenberg explained that the process works through a matching system where his kidney could go to someone in Kansas City whose family member isn’t a match, and that family member can still donate their kidney to a bank where it goes to someone who is a match, but it only works if there’s an altruistic donor to start the chain. The actor first got the idea about 10 years ago and contacted an organization but never received a response, until recently when he expressed his desire to a doctor friend who pointed him to NYU Langone Health in New York City.
Eisenberg was in the hospital the next day going through a battery of tests and is now scheduled for surgery in mid December, addressing the organ donor shortage that has left about 90,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant in the United States. He clarified any fears people might have about donating and then having a family member need a kidney, explaining that the National Kidney Registry’s family voucher program allows him to put family members at the top of the priority list for a living kidney donation should they ever need one. The process is essentially risk free and so needed according to Eisenberg, who believes people will realize it’s a no brainer once they understand how the system works and how it protects their own family members. When asked about his love for blood donation, Eisenberg joked that he has so much blood in him and feels like he should spill it, showing that his generous spirit extends far beyond his Hollywood career.
