Franziska Liebhardt becomes chair of organ donation group KiO

At the start of 2024, Franziska Liebhardt became chair of Kinderhilfe Organtransplantation – Sportler für Organspende, usually shortened to KiO. The German association supports children who need organ transplants and uses athletes as public voices to promote organ donation.

Liebhardt took on the role after ending her competitive career. As a Paralympic champion, she was one of the best-known sports figures in Germany to speak openly about organ donation, drawing on her own experience as a transplant recipient and on years of public appearances on the subject.

The move mattered because it turned her advocacy from occasional public statements into a formal leadership role. Germany has long had one of the lower organ donation rates in Europe, with far more patients on waiting lists than available donors, and debates over how to change the rules have continued for years. Liebhardt's chairmanship gave the issue a prominent face and continued until her death, which prompted the latest coverage of her work.