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Available by BC Books!
Available by BC Books!
From the beloved writer of The Real Rachel BS comes an extraordinary tale of an unconventional act of altruism. Vulnerably told, the author leads us through tender family memories and emerges as an inspirational beacon for the power of storytelling.
From the beloved writer of The Real Rachel BS comes an extraordinary tale of an unconventional act of altruism. Vulnerably told, the author leads us through tender family memories and emerges as an inspirational beacon for the power of storytelling.
Losing My Kidney and Finding My Voice: Confessions of a Living Donor explores the author’s experiences giving away an organ to a stranger through a kidney chain, an innovative form of altruism spearheaded by the National Kidney Registry. The questions Rachel grappled with led her on a path of self-discovery to unravel why she felt moved to give of herself in an unusual way. Her working-class values, coupled with decades of experience in her union, the United Steelworkers, informed her decision and expanded her family to include a community embracing her as one of their own, allowing this story to transcend the boundaries of solidarity and justice.
Rachel reveals insights from television celebrities Katie Couric, Oprah Winfrey and her own grandmother which prompted her to continue the family legacy of donation that began with her uncle, a beloved deceased donor. She explores her family’s history with grief and suicide and how it influenced her decision to put her kidney on a plane to Pennsylvania without her. From advocating within the halls of Congress to walking in the Rose Parade on behalf of living donors, Rachel discovered a new platform and a realm of possibilities for living a life with purpose.
Losing My Kidney and Finding My Voice is an insightful testament of the impact living with purpose can bring. With the Foreword by Ned Brooks, living donor and founder of the National Kidney Donation Organization, we are reminded of just how rare non-directed kidney donors are and why that is. The Afterword by J. Randy Johnson, author and retired Steelworker confirms that when we look out for each other in solidarity, life changing things can happen.
Discussion questions are available for support groups, book clubs & classroom settings. A portion of the proceeds from this memoir will be donated to support living donor education and advocacy.
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Paperback ISBN 979-8-9907205-8-9
E-book ISBN 979-8-9950087-0-5
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Editorial Reviews
Editorial Reviews
FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE
“One in a million” is a cliche, but it precisely suits Rachel Bennett Steury.
Steury’s just-released memoir details her journey as a non-directed kidney donor — someone who gives her organ to an unknown recipient. That makes her one of between 350 and 400 U.S. residents to do so every year. In a nation of more than 350 million, well — you do the math.
Yet a consistent theme throughout “Losing My Kidney” is that Steury considers herself no one special — and she argues everyone else should feel the same way about her. Her attitude is commonplace in such circles, as affirmed in a foreword by Ned Brooks, founder of the National Kidney Donation Organization.
Over time, we and Steury arrive at the second half of her book’s title, the “Finding My Voice” part. Her tentative first steps (which included an in-depth JG profile) have evolved over a decade-plus into a robust writing and public speaking avocation.
The now well-established power of her voice is confirmed in an afterword by author J. Randy Johnson, and it neatly refutes Steury’s no-one-special claim.
READERS' FAVORITE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
READERS' FAVORITE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Rachel Bennett Steury’s Losing My Kidney and Finding My Voice tells the story of how she chose to become a living kidney donor for a stranger. Her family already had a connection to organ donation through her Uncle Ed, who was a deceased donor. Because of that history, she grew up seeing giving as something that mattered on both a personal level and a broader social one. As she weighs the risk, responsibility, and solidarity of her decision, one question keeps repeating in my mind: What does it actually mean to give part of your body to someone you will never meet? Steury candidly shares what the experience taught her.
Losing My Kidney and Finding My Voice does not romanticize organ donation. Instead, Rachel Bennett Steury focuses on the real-life details, carefully showing the social, civic, financial, and personal layers behind her decision. She ties her working-class, union background to the idea of economic justice, arguing that a transplant restores not only health but the ability to work and live freely. The book seamlessly transitions between hospital rooms, policy debates, family memories, and national statistics, maintaining clarity throughout. I was struck by how calmly she discusses fear, risk, and doubt before surgery. I was honestly surprised by how rare non-directed donors actually are and how quickly most of us assume someone else will do it. Overall, I found her memoir thoughtful, practical, and sincere. I highly recommend reading it.”
Reader Reviews
Reader Reviews
"Rachel’s memoir tells her story of donating her kidney to a complete stranger. Her story is raw, honest, and inspiring. She shares deeply personal pieces of her experience with the donation process and connecting with those around her to further the goal of educating others on organ donation. Rachel’s bravery and selflessness to help others is truly something that is rare to come by and I was so moved by her book. Whether you’re considering donating, or not, it’s going to change the way you think about organ donation going forward. Highly recommended!"
MEGHAN HASSE
"What stayed with me most was that this is not really a story about losing a kidney. It is a story about trying to understand why a person feels called to make an extraordinary decision and what happens after that decision reshapes their identity. Readers interested in memoirs that blend personal transformation with social impact will find much to appreciate here. It will also resonate with anyone curious about why people choose service when there is no expectation of recognition. "
EMMA
"What a remarkable and inspiring read! It's not often that I've picked up a book that has been equal parts enjoyable, inspirational, funny, and endearing -- but this book has achieved a balance of all these and more quite beautifully. I've been reflecting on why this book has stayed with me since I finished reading it a few days ago, and I've finally cornered what the secret ingredient is: though it's a memoir following one very particular person's story, it is so universally human at its core that I found myself reflecting on my own life again and again while reading it. This is a worthwhile read for anyone who believes that while to the world we may just be one person, to one person we may just be the world."
DEAR ANTLER
"Rachel shares a powerful and honest account of her journey, offering readers a rare and intimate perspective on what it means to make a profound sacrifice for another person. One of the book's greatest strengths is its authenticity. The author writes with remarkable openness, allowing readers to experience the emotional, physical, and personal dimensions of living organ donation. Her willingness to share both the challenges and rewards of the experience creates a narrative that is informative, relatable, and emotionally impactful."
NICOLE B
"Rachel is a superb storyteller whose journey is humble, inspiring and necessary. We are all fortunate that she conjured the courage to tell this important story of her service and transformation. I’ve always been listed as an organ donor, but never understood how I could have done more. I look forward to her next book!"
JOYCE FIDLER
"I started it when I got home tonight and couldn't stop until the end. You shared so much information about organ donation. Things I never knew. It was very inspiring. It was nice reading about your Uncle Ed and the love he had for you and Dara. You've had some really low times in your life and went through things you never should have had to and to see you come through with such grace and to make such a positive impact is so inspiring. "
JOHN Z
"I felt like I was reading a story presented in “down-home” ” language full of reality ( and very easy to read). I am a donor via my drivers license, and I wish I would have been turned on to this wonderful endeavor 30 years ago. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
PAULA TG
"I was going to read a couple of chapters last night and couldn't put it down and ended up reading the entire book, finishing it around 1:30 a.m. It was heart warming, heartbreaking, and so inspirational. I laughed, I cried and a couple of times I did both at the same time! Thank you for writing it. Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your journey with us and most of all thank you for being so selfless and donating your kidney and to a total stranger no less. The world needs more Rachels. 🩷"
KIM Z
"I first met Rachel when she and her husband Mat house sat for and took care of our dog. She is an incredible person. Her book is a true reflection of who she is."
LEE MORRIS
"This book was fantastic. A great tale with various twists and turns told by someone with a style that easily reaches the interest of common everyday people. A human interest story that everyone can relate to. Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend it to a friend. "
USW LOCAL 850L
"Great book! Very inspiring! I didn’t put it down! What an amazing story and an amazing person!"
CHANDRA UPP
"Such a good book! So many interesting facts about donating a kidney."
BREANIKA
"Rachel had a way of taking me on her journey while giving just enough detail to keep me intrigued but not overwhelmed. Her style is easy. informative and even humorous, at times. She's one special human! I enjoyed her memoir very much and encourage everyone to buy this book!"
SHARI PK
"Remarkable journey, from the heartland to “The Rhythm of the Heart” at the Rose Parade. So glad you addressed the emotional aspects of being a non-directed donor. You had deeply embedded personal reasons for becoming a living donor—possibly more so than other living donors
Thankful that you included the nuts-and-bolts aspects of the donation process so that most of a potential donor’s questions could be addressed in one place. You provided a primer for folks contemplating donation"
TERRY HASSMAN PAULIN
"Rachel has truly made her heart filled voice jump from the pages that contain her brilliantly written story."
J. RANDY JOHNSON, AUTHOR AND RETIRED TRADE UNIONIST WITH THE UNITED STEELWORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION
"Well now, here’s a present-day antidote for – as Thomas Paine once put it -- “the times that try men’s souls”. Rachel writes about her quintessentially human journey toward a brighter tomorrow. Her memoir is well-written and memorable on its own as a story of self-discovery, but its depth is profoundly spiritual. An inspiration during our troubled times."
DENNING POWELL, CO-AUTHOR OF SCIENCE FICTION TRILOGY MONKEY TRAP, HIDING HAND AND SPLINTERED LIGHT
"Rachel is the real deal. A genuine generous heart, she does the research to meet her goals, one of which was to start a chain by donating her kidney. A later goal was to write a book about it. For such a private person, Rachel opens up about her family history, her current family, friends and colleagues, and her place in the world -- and the actions she's willing to take to change the world. I want to be like Rachel -- you will too!"
BETH BERRY, AUTHOR OF HAIKU FRENZY, ENDOMETRIAL AND KIDNEY CANCER SURVIVOR
"This book offers a fascinating and enjoyable look into a world that most people do not even know exists. It shows you this world from the point of view of an ordinary person discovering it for the first time."
DAN CRAGAN, PLAYWRIGHT, COMPOSER, KIDNEY AND PANCREAS TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT
"An insightful and inspiring must read!"
RITA JOHNSON, AVID READER, NON-FICTION ENTHUSIAST
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