Houston veteran pushes for tax breaks for organ donors after donating kidney and liver

When Tom O’Driscoll, a Houston resident and veteran, decided to become a kidney donor in 2010, it was more than a personal health decision; it was a life-changing journey, inspired by a radio show and fueled by a desire to help others.

14 years later, O’Driscoll is campaigning for legislation that would give back to organ donors like himself.

O’Driscoll’s journey began when he listened to a This American life episode on NPR, which featured the story of a Brooklyn woman who secretly donated her kidney to a stranger. That moment, he recalls, “planted the seed” for him.

“I thought, ‘Gosh, I wonder if I could maybe do this one day myself,'” O’Driscoll said.

Years later, he followed through and became a kidney donor. Then, in 2022, he took the process even further by donating 60% of his liver to another stranger.

“It’s just amazing,” he shared. “Within two months, the liver was back to normal size, and all my blood tests and everything were back normal.”

O’Driscoll’s actions do not stop there. Today, he is working with the Coalition to Amend the National Organ Transplant Act to advance the Ending Kidney Deaths Act (HR 9275), a bill that would provide a $50 refundable tax credit $000 to living organ donors. The credit would be spread over five years, rewarding donors for their contributions to public health.

“This bill could encourage more people to become living organ donors,” said O’Driscoll, who believes it is essential to create incentives without resorting to exploitation. “If someone is inclined to donate their organs, it’s a way of paying them for doing something very, very good and of public utility.”

O’Driscoll and a group of other advocates recently took their cause to Washington, meeting with about 50 members of Congress.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “I’ve never done anything like this before, and it was really cool.”

O’Driscoll’s plea is based on a harsh reality: “Right now, about 90,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney, and about half of them will die while waiting,” he said. “About 15 Americans die every day from lack of organs. »

O’Driscoll also said that deceased organ donations will never be enough to meet the growing need.

“A person has to die in a very specific way for their organs to be harvested,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of living donors. “The answer really is to encourage more living donations, and we hope this bill will help do that.” »

Beyond his work with Congress, O’Driscoll has taken on extreme challenges to raise awareness about organ donation. In March 2023, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with a group of around 20 organ donors and supporters, reaching the summit on World Kidney Day.

“It was just a wonderful experience,” O’Driscoll said. “It was my first time doing something with a group of fellow organ donors, and it was great.”

He also recognizes the emotional benefits of being a living donor.

“You just have the quiet satisfaction of knowing you saved another human life,” he said. “You just can’t put a value on that.”

As for his hopes for the future, O’Driscoll is focused on enacting the End Kidney Deaths Act.

“We really think this could save lives and alleviate a lot of suffering,” he said. “Any publicity we can get to help promote the bill is very important to us. »

Even though the bill is not retroactive, meaning O’Driscoll and other donors will not benefit financially, his passion remains strong.

“Our intention is only to increase the supply of organ donations and thus alleviate suffering. »

For anyone considering becoming an organ donor, O’Driscoll offers some comforting statistics.

“In the United States, living kidney donation is actually safer than childbirth,” he said. “95 percent of all living kidney donors say they would do it again.”

For O’Driscoll, the message is clear: “You don’t just save one life,” he said. “You save the lives of families, of communities. You have an impact that lasts a lifetime.

O’Driscoll hopes more people will join the effort to pass H.R. 9275 and support the cause he dedicated his life to, one act of generosity at a time.

“We’re just trying to do everything we can to get this bill through Congress,” he said. “It’s time to make a change.”