Ohio State urologist tackles high-altitude bike trails to help raise awareness for organ donation 

Early in his practice, Bodo Knudsen, MD, FRCS(C), associate professor of Urology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, treated a patient with stones in each kidney. As he reviewed the patient’s history, he discovered the patient was an avid mountain biker and the president of one of the mountain biking associations in Ohio. Throughout the appointment, they talked about bike trails across Ohio, which sparked Dr. Knudsen’s interest in getting back into the sport.

He was serving as director of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Comprehensive Kidney Stone Program, a nationally recognized program dedicated to the treatment of kidney stones, and helped build its mission — a collaboration that brings together urology, nephrology, nutrition, radiology and other specialties to provide comprehensive patient centered care.

“By uniting experts across disciplines, we're able to tackle stone disease from every angle,” Dr. Knudsen says. “This approach has led to the prevention of recurrences, a reduction in ER visits and has improved many patients’ lives.”

Between seeing patients and bicycle training, he read a news story about a local sports reporter, Aaron Portzline, who covered the Columbus Blue Jackets (CBJ) and was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. Since his kidneys were starting to fail, he awaited a transplant. Then a CBJ employee, Lindy Noel, came in for the save. She heard he was on the list, got herself medically evaluated, discovered she was a match and gave him one of her kidneys.   

“It’s pretty inspiring to have somebody who’s not related to him, who just knew him from a professional standpoint, be willing to donate a kidney to save his life,” Dr. Knudsen says. “It’s the type of thing that makes you evaluate your own priorities in life.”  

Passion for cycling and advocacy

Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Dr. Knudsen has always had a passion for cycling. He rode his first 10K ride in a high school charity ride and years later, bought a mountain bike with his first residency paycheck. He found out about the high-altitude trails in Colorado and the Leadville Trail 100 MTB –– a 100-mile bike race through some of the most grueling terrain in the country at an altitude that begins at 10,000 feet and keeps rising.

“I told my wife I want to try that,” he says.

This gave him a little less than one year before his first race in 2019. His wife, Eunice, rolled her eyes, but since has stood steadfastly at his side, acting as team manager during his endeavors.  

With support from his friends and family, Dr. Knudsen managed to finish the event in 2019 and has continued the challenge. For the race this past August, Dr. Knudsen collaborated with the Chris Klug Foundation (CKF) — an organization founded by an Olympic snowboarder and transplant recipient — to raise awareness for organ, eye, and tissue donation. 

Outreach begins with patients

Knudsen’s advocacy starts with the people he sees most often – his patients. They know of his training and love hearing updates at appointments.

“A lot of them know these stories and we’ve talked about it, and I’ve even had patients donate to my ride,” he says. “Certainly, many of my patients are aware of my interests and what I’ve done, and I try and inspire them a little bit from that standpoint.”  

While friends and family are part of the conversation, it is those everyday moments in the clinic sharing stories, offering inspiration and modeling advocacy, that Knudsen sees as opportunities to be effective. 

“I think it is really important for people to understand the benefits of organ donation and really think about that,” Knudsen says. “And think about the impact it can make.”  

More than anything, he hopes his rides encourage others to challenge themselves and consider the life-changing impact they can have too. 

Learn more about how you can be part of lifesaving transplants at Ohio State’s Organ Transplant Center.