Donor Diaries
Donor Diaries is a podcast that delves into the beauty and complexity of living organ donation. Tune in to hear extraordinary stories of people who choose to share their organs and give the gift of life. The world of kidney and organ donation is a powerful testament to kindness, love, and the human spirit.
With over 90,000 individuals on the kidney transplant waitlist and about 13 people dying each day while waiting, the urgency is real. One in three Americans is at risk for chronic kidney disease, and one in nine already suffers from it, often unknowingly.
Donor Diaries offers unfiltered narratives from living donors and candid insights from transplant experts, aiming to elevate the conversation around organ donation. Our goal is to bring this crucial issue to the forefront, so no patient has to wait in vain or suffer needlessly.
Donor Diaries
Altruists and Psychopaths with Abby Marsh | Ep 16
Have you ever wondered why some people have a powerful drive to donate a kidney or liver to a stranger, while others would never consider such a thing?
Professor Abigail Marsh has spent over a decade answering this question through studies on topics such as altruism, empathy, and the depths of human nature. She answers complex questions such as: How do we understand what others think and feel? What drives us to help other people? What prevents us from harming them
Abby’s Laboratory on Social & Affective Neuroscience is located at Georgetown University. Her lab’s research includes behavioral and brain imaging investigations of human social behaviors ranging from extraordinary altruism to serious conduct problems in children, adolescents, and adults. She is also author of the book, The Fear Factor, which examines how one emotion (fear), connects altruists, psychopaths, and everyone in between.
Come take a tour of your brain with Abby Marsh and Laurie Lee, and explore the extremes of human generosity and the mechanisms underlying our capacity for empathy and ability to identify fear.
Showlinks:
Prof. Abigail Marsh’s Website
The Fear Factor
Abigail Marsh’s Ted Talk
Publications
Abigail Marsh on 60 Minutes
National Kidney Donation Organization
