Kynse Leigh is a trooper. In 2014, she opened her own brokerage –just to find out two years later that she had a failing kidney and would need a transplant. That didn’t stop Kynse from documenting her journey with Facebook Live videos, continuing her work, spending time with her son, and creating awareness around the transplant journey and the importance of being a donor. Tune in to hear how Kynse was supported by her community of realtors, how she connected with her donor’s family, and why she’s got not one, but three kidneys now!
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Time Stamped Show Notes:
- 01:00 – Kynse’s background
- 01:10 – Kynse started as an assistant with ReMax in 2000, was licensed in 2003, and opened her brokerage Remax Dream in downtown Fort Myers, FL in 2014
- 01:50 – She had two agents and was the short-sale queen for a while
- 02:00 – Her health journey
- 02:45 – In October of 2016, she was told she had a failing kidney and would need a transplant
- 03:25 – She would need a kidney and pancreas transplant so she would avoid kidney failure and no longer be a Type I Diabetic; she’s 37 years old and has a 9-year-old son
- 04:55 – She grew up as a Type I Diabetic and went through everything that comes with that
- 05:20 – She feels blessed because she still has her eyesight, limbs, and has no other diabetic issues; she actually has 3 kidneys now, including the new one
- 06:50 – She refused to start dialysis; she wanted to be there for her son and realtors and be doing things
- 07:49 – She documented the whole transplant process to share the journey, starting with the first call from the transplant team
- 09:53 – Her documentation shows people what the process is like; Leigh Brown and her son have watched the videos because he has kidney issues as well
- 11:05 – Her son has been very supportive of her; Kynse is happy her journey has helped Leigh’s son in his own
- 13:30 – Being real, authentic, and yourself goes a long way; Kynse has connected with incredible realtors going through their own health challenges
- 14:40 – The community of realtors has been amazing and supportive
- 15:22 – The transplant family and the connection
- 16:20 - Most people write letters that go through LifeLink to connect to the donor family; her donor was named Elijah and was 15 when he passed
- 16:53 – She didn’t receive much information about the donor, and the donor didn’t receive much information about her
- 17:30 – She comes up if you Google “Florida kidney and pancreas transplant” because of her work in raising awareness around it
- 18:08 – They found his GoFundMe page and the donor’s family found her
- 19:00 – Become a donor: Only 45% of Americans are registered organ donors; 115,000 people in America are waiting for an organ and an average of 21 people pass away each day waiting
- 20:20 – Her organ donor saved 6 lives, he has a page and hashtag #sixisgreaterthantwentyone
- 21:50 – On the iPhone Health App, you can sign up to become an organ donor in minutes; or go to org if you don’t have an iPhone
- 22:58 – Let your family know your wishes; they could say no
- 24:50 – You could be a living donor; you only need one kidney to live and you can donate a portion of your liver (it grows back)
- 26:15 – Being a broker through all this change
- 26:45 – Her office management and agents are amazing; she lost a few agents and realized who she chooses to spend her time with
- 28:00 – Use hashtag #dontburygoodorgans when you sign up to be a donor and support
- 28:47 – Stay in touch
- 28:54 - Remax Dream contacts: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email, website
- 29:15 – Kynse’s contact information: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
3 Key Points
- Remain optimistic.
- You have the chance to touch lives; become an organ donor.
- Support those that inspire you and connect with others that have a relatable journey.