16 hours ago
2
Oscar-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg revealed he is donating one of his kidneys to a total stranger next month, calling his decision a “no-brainer.”
The revelation came during Eisenberg’s Thursday appearance on NBC’s Today show, after co-host Craig Melvin noted that the actor had participated in a blood drive sponsored by the program in July.
“Yeah, that’s true. I did one here. I’m actually donating my kidney in six weeks, I really am,” the Real Pain star disclosed.
Watch Below:
“That’s amazing,” Melvin declared, to which Eisenberg replied, Yeah, I don’t know why. I got bitten by the blood donation bug. I love it.”
“That’s a big jump up, though,” the Today show host added.
The Social Network star responded by revealing that his kidney donation is scheduled for next month.
“I’m doing an altruistic donation, yeah, mid-December,” he said.
Notably, the term “altruistic donation” means the donor is giving their organ to a complete stranger.
“I’m so excited to do it,” Eisenberg added.
Melvin, seemingly shocked, chimed in, stating, “I didn’t see that coming. I was just going to commend you on helping set up the blood drive.”
“Yeah, I just have so much blood in me,” the Zombieland star quipped. “I really like doing it, I don’t know why.”
Eisenberg elaborated on his decision to donate a kidney in a separate interview with Today.com, adding, “It’s essentially risk-free and so needed. I think people will realize that it’s a no-brainer, if you have the time and the inclination.”
The actor explained how the process works:
Let’s say person X needs a kidney in Kansas City, [and] their child or whoever was going to donate to them is, for whatever set of reasons, not a match, but somehow I am. That person can still get my kidney and hopefully that child of that person still donates their kidney, right? But it goes to a bank where that person can find a match recipient, but it only works if there is basically an altruistic donor.
Eisenberg said he tried to sign up for a kidney donation ten years ago, but never received a response. But after recently discussing his idea with a doctor friend, he was advised to contact NYU Langone Health in New York City.
“I was in the hospital the next day and went through a battery of tests, and I’m now scheduled in mid-December,” the Now You See Me star said.
Eisenberg also addressed a potential fear of would-be kidney donors who are hesitant to go through an altruistic donation due to concerns that they wouldn’t be able to donate the organ to one of their own family members, should they need one.
“The way it works now is, you can put a list of whoever you would like to be the first to be at the top of the list,” he said, referring to the National Kidney Registry’s family voucher program.
Eisenberg noted that he added his family members to his list, so that they will be prioritized for a living kidney donation on the off chance they may need one in the future.
As for September 2024, there are currently about 90,000 people on the organ transplant list waiting for a kidney, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
English (US)