Grab the Cooler: From Narrative Dialysis to Narrative Transplants

Back in the day, organ donation was a hard sell. People cringed, hesitated, said “ew, no thanks.” What changed it? Not policy. Not statistics. Storytelling.

Stories turned hesitation into a movement. Stories turned “ew” into “yes.” That’s the kind of storytelling that doesn’t just move hearts, it moves kidneys.

I know the power of that movement personally. My brother-in-law Mark got a double lung transplant nine years ago. It was scary af in the months leading up to it. My sister Lori—his wife—was terrified. Would the call come in time? Would it even work?

And then the gift came. Two new lungs. A second chance at life. A story rewritten.

My friend Kadri Vent nailed it when she said: some stories deserve a DNR. Stop resuscitating the ones that no longer serve you.

Here’s my Bombdiggity spin: if storytelling can normalize organ transplants, then why not story transplants too?

Because some of the stories you’re lugging around aren’t just tired — they’re flat-lining. They’re narrative sludge. They’re keeping you hooked up to identity dialysis when what you really need is a full transplant.

• OLD STORY OUT: “Success = burnout.” NEW STORY IN: “Success = sparkle-fueled sustainability.”
• OLD STORY OUT: “This is just who I am.” NEW STORY IN: “I’m proof change is possible.”

Organ donation saves lives. So does narrative donation.

This isn’t rah-rah word soup. Neuroscience backs it: swap your story and you literally rewire your brain, recalibrate your nervous system, and reset the vibe you live in.

Kadri’s right — some stories deserve a DNR. And here’s my spin: grab the cooler. Because the right story transplant doesn’t just keep you alive—it lets you breathe deep again.

💣 CTA: Which story are you ready to wheel into the OR and swap out for something that finally keeps you alive and lit up?