Daughter Who Donated Kidney To Mom Tells Their Story At Ceremony In Worcester

WORCESTER, MA — A mother and daughter from Hudson who faced kidney failure and donation shared their inspiring story at a ceremony earlier this week.

Maribeth Finn and her daughter, Kortney Hixson, a living donor pair, spoke at an event at UMass Memorial Medical Center's University Campus on Wednesday. The pair were part of a special flag-raising ceremony celebrating National Donate Life Month.

Just one year ago, Hixson donated a kidney to her mother after she was unexpectedly diagnosed with kidney failure following a visit to UMass's Marlborough Campus emergency room.

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Finn spent three days in the intensive care unit and nearly lost her life. Following a recovery, she underwent dialysis three times a week while becoming eligible for the donor match process.

Her daughter was ultimately identified as a match, and both are now thriving. Hixson is set to run in this year’s Boston Marathon in honor of her mom.

“We’re very appreciative of the time we have together, the additional holidays. I’m really excited because my mom is going to be there to watch me cross the finish line in the Boston Marathon in two weeks,” Hixson said, calling her mother her best friend.

National Donate Life Month honors the gift of life, celebrating living and deceased donors and the families who turn loss into hope for others, often strangers they may never meet. UMass Memorial Medical Center, in partnership with New England Donor Services, plays a vital role in facilitating organ donation.

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Currently, more than 100,000 adults and children nationwide are awaiting a transplant. Tragically, an average of 16 people die each day while waiting due to the scarcity of donor organs, according to UMass Memorial Health.

UMass Memorial Health’s organ transplant program continues to expand access to living donor transplantation, supported by an experienced team and strong clinical outcomes, including a 100 percent living kidney donor survival rate.

In 2025, the program performed more than 100 kidney transplants in a single year for the first time, reflecting continued growth and access to care.

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