Hi! I’m Gaëlle Crespin. I’m 27, a Sagittarius (yes…), and I grew up in Singapore as a full-on third culture kid. My mom’s Argentine with Lebanese roots, my dad’s 100% oui-oui French, and I somehow came out speaking three languages — English, French, and Spanish — while bouncing between schools in Singapore, NYC, San Francisco, Buenos Aires and Madrid. Basically, my childhood looked like a geography lesson.

My kidney saga started early. At 4, a badly cooked hamburger tried to kill me (rude). That E. coli infection landed me in intensive care, dialysis, and a diagnosis of Uremic Haemolytic Syndrome. From then on, I lived with Chronic Kidney Disease. Fast forward to 21: while the whole world was in lockdown, my kidneys decided to quit for good. My nephrologist in Paris hit me with: “Your kidneys are the size of peas. You’ll need a transplant… tomorrow.” Not exactly the college news I was expecting.

So I stopped my studies in Madrid, started dialysis for 9 months, and survived lockdown with needles instead of Netflix. Then, in October 2020, came the call that changed my life. In 2021, I came back brand new — and finished my Bachelor’s in Hospitality and Tourism from Vatel Madrid.

Now I’m in California, three years strong, with a dual Master’s in Business & Analytics under my belt. But honestly, something always felt like it was missing. And that’s why I’m here — starting this blog.

I want to share the real deal about organ donation and transplants — the good, the bad, the awkward, and the surprisingly funny bits. Because it’s scary when you don’t know what to expect, and no one should have to go through it alone. I was lucky to meet Ramiro, who had a transplant right before me, and he gave me a glimpse of what was coming. This blog is my way of paying that forward.

And the pictures you’ll see? Credit to my mom — she captured it all, from the messy moments to the miracles.

So here we are: me, three kidneys and one big story.

The Facts:

Name: Gaëlle (Pronounced: Gah-ELL)

Studies: Hospitality & Tourism (Bachelor’s), International Business & Analytics (Master’s)

Colleges: Vatel & HULT

Favorite Quote: “It's not always necessary to be strong, but to feel strong.” - Jon Krakauer

Interests:

My interests change all the time, but a few passions have stuck with me.

First up: baking. Fun fact — I survived a semester at the Culinary Institute of America in Poughkeepsie, NY, which is basically the Navy SEALs of culinary schools. I’ve always loved baking with my mom, and for a hot second, I thought I’d make a career out of it. Spoiler: I realized I like eating baked goods way more than waking up at 4 a.m. to make them. That’s when I discovered my bigger passion: events.

My second big love is music. Honestly, I don’t think I could have gotten through half of what I’ve lived without it. One of my dreams? To work for Live Nation or any other big music events company. I love discovering new artists, going to live shows, and pretending I’ll eventually pick up the guitar and piano again (they’ve been sitting untouched for… let’s just say “a while”).

Sports? I’m half Argentine and half French — soccer obsession is in my DNA. I used to play, but post-transplant I’ve been banned from the field (doctor’s orders, not FIFA’s). Doesn’t stop me from screaming at the TV like a coach. I’m also a big tennis fan — I’ll play it, but honestly, I enjoy watching it just as much. Recently, I’ve taken up boxing (yes, with actual gloves, not just shadow-punching my problems) and rowing, which I surprisingly love.

And because I’m forever curious, I love learning new things. I also have this built-in drive to help people — probably from my Girl Scout years kicking in. These days, that means learning more about kidney disease, raising awareness, and helping others going through what I’ve been through.