CKF partners with the screening of 1-800-GIVE-US-YOUR-KIDNEY

Allow me to introduce you to Harold Mintz- but first I must introduce you to his mustache. Harold’s mustache (which should have a name of its own) will be turning 40 this November. To celebrate such an occasion, Harold has been posting a picture every day with another carrier of a lip sweater, to his Instagram account (Haroldshairold).I’ve introduced you to Harold’s most striking feature, although when describing Harold to others, it is imperative that you know he gave one of his kidneys to a total stranger. It is just one of the many examples of the kindness that resonates from him. “If I don’t give my kidney to somebody this week,will somebody die waiting for it?” Our paths crossed, for the eighth year in a row, at Mountainfilm in Telluride. We have worked together in the past on many projects, but this time around, the universe threw us together like a perfect storm. Film Director, Sam Smith created a beautiful short film, 1-800-GIVE-US-YOUR-KIDNEY, telling Harold’s story. The Chris Klug Foundation partnered with the screenings to register organ & tissue donors, following the screenings.“If I don’t give my kidney to somebody this week, will somebody die waiting for it?” The answer to this question, posed in Samantha Smith’s film, is unequivocally “yes.” Despite that, ethical and practical riddles surround the willingness of a living donor to undergo surgery and bodily mutilation to help a complete stranger. Smith doesn’t delve deeply into these questions. She simply tells the story of a kidney donor and recipient — individuals strikingly different from one another — leaving the audience to ponder the conundrum of more people needing kidneys than kidneys available. As the final credits roll, the viewer may wonder: “What am I doing walking around with two healthy kidneys?”1-800-GIVE-US-YOUR-KIDNEY will be screening in Aspen, CO as part of the 10th Annual MountainSummit: Mountainfilm in Aspen, at the Wheeler Opera House. Selected to join four other short films featuring extraordinary characters, on Friday, August 26, Harold will be present to continue the conversation, answer questions, and take a photo with you (if you have a upper lip curtain)!-Lauren PierceExecutive DirectorChris Klug Foundation