Being a living donor
How your life may change after the donation surgery
You will need a few weeks to months to heal from surgery, but after that most donors are able to return to their normal daily life:
- You won’t need lifelong medicines
- You can eat the same things you did before donation
- You can be active and play sports
- You can still get pregnant or father a child
Most living donors say they were happy with the donation experience and that they would do it again. It’s a chance to change someone’s life. In a few cases, related living donors have even reported an improved quality of life after donation.
To stay healthy, you’ll need medical checkups yearly and need to stay at a healthy weight after donating.
Want to talk to someone who has donated a kidney and ‘been there’?
You can contact a trained peer mentor (a donor who has already donated) who will offer support and share their experience with you.
Contact the National Kidney Foundation’s Peers Program
- Call 855-653-7337
- Email [email protected]
Want to talk to a trained professional? You can contact the National Kidney Foundation Cares help line:
- Call 844-224-4275
- Email [email protected]
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