American Society of Transplantation and John Fluevog Shoes Launch Limited-Edition Collection Celebrating Living Donation

Exclusive collaboration raises awareness and funds for living donation through a bold new shoe design inspired by transplant

MOUNT LAUREL, NJ, UNITED STATES, March 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American Society of Transplantation (AST) is proud to announce a unique partnership with renowned designer John Fluevog Shoes to celebrate the life-saving impact of living kidney donation and raise awareness about the critical need for donors.

The collaboration introduces a limited-edition shoe collection inspired by Fluevog founder John Fluevog’s own kidney transplant journey. In 2025, Fluevog received a kidney transplant from a living donor. In gratitude, he designed two special shoes — The Patty and The Alan — named after his donor and her husband. The collection honors the generosity, courage, and lasting ripple effect of living donation.

Fifteen percent of all U.S. shoe sales will directly support the mission of the American Society of Transplantation, while fifteen percent of Canadian shoe sales will support the Kidney Foundation of Canada. In addition, all profits from the collection’s Kidney Pin, will be donated to the AST Living Donor Circle of Excellence and the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

“This partnership is a powerful reminder that living donation changes lives — not just for recipients, but for families, communities, and the entire transplant field,” said Brooke Iarkowski, Transplant Community Program Manager at the American Society of Transplantation and a living kidney donor. “As a living donor myself, I know how meaningful it is to see the generosity of donors recognized in such a visible and creative way. These shoes are more than a design — they’re a conversation starter that can inspire more people to learn about living donation and the incredible impact it has.”

The limited-edition designs feature three distinctive straps representing the kidney’s ureter, renal artery, and renal vein — an idea that came to Fluevog shortly after his transplant.

“These kidney shoes are my response to my thankfulness and my way of giving back,” said John Fluevog. “It’s about bringing awareness to the shortage of and need for kidney donors.”

Fluevog recalls the moment that sparked the design:

“I was inspired to make the shoes two days after my operation when a doctor came to my hospital bed and gave me a ‘doctor bad’ shoe drawing and said they thought I should make them. They pointed to three straps, one each for the Ureter, Renal Artery, and Renal Vein of the kidney. She was most insistent on the blood red colour.

Even in my weakened state, I had no trouble realizing that this was a good idea. I passed it on to the team and these shoes are what came out. The women’s style first, and then the men’s, both with three straps and in a great blood red. For a ‘non-sexy’ kidney shoe, I think they are very sexy indeed.”

In addition to the Patty and Alan shoe styles, the collection includes a Kidney Pin, a striking enamel accessory designed to complete the look while supporting transplant awareness.

The partnership also highlights AST’s Living Donor Circle of Excellence, which recognizes organizations that support employees who choose to become living donors.

This collaboration celebrates:
• The courage of living kidney donors
• The resilience of transplant recipients
• The clinicians and researchers advancing transplantation
• The AST’s mission to improve lives through transplantation

Together, the AST and John Fluevog Shoes hope the collection will spark conversations, inspire support for living donation, and highlight the life-saving power of transplantation.

About the American Society of Transplantation
The American Society of Transplantation (AST) is the largest transplant organization in North America and is recognized as the premier society for transplant professionals.

Founded in 1982, the AST currently has over 5,000 members dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation and improving patient care by promoting research, education, advocacy, organ donation, and service to the community through a lens of equity and inclusion.

The AST is ‌an organizing force that advances the field through research, workforce development, knowledge sharing, and advocacy with the aim of continuously improving patient outcomes.

About John Fluevog Shoes
Founded in 1970, John Fluevog Shoes is an independent footwear brand known worldwide for its distinctive designs, craftsmanship, and creative storytelling.

Shauna O'Brien
American Society of Transplantation
sobrien@myast.org
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