Finding a living donor

Who are living donors and why do they donate?

A living donor transplant is when a healthy person donates 1 of their 2 kidneys to someone whose kidneys no longer work. Anyone can learn about donating a kidney and consider if donating a kidney is right for them. Donors can include family, such as siblings, parents, cousins, or spouses. They can also just be friends, co-workers, or even a kind stranger. Here are a few reasons living donors give:

• To help my friend feel better
• To make a difference
• I need my mom around
• To help my sister live a long time
• To have everyone’s lives return to normal
• To grow old together
• To help someone in need

Who can be a living donor?

At most transplant centers, your living donor must be:

• At least 18 years old
• Healthy and active
• Able to take time off work or school to get the tests and interviews
• Able to take off at least 2-3 weeks from work or school after the surgery

At most transplant centers, a living kidney donor can’t:

• Have kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, or cancer
• Have high blood pressure that is difficult to control
• Have certain viruses such as hepatitis C or HIV
• Be very overweight (BMI over 35)
• Have drug or alcohol problems

Let your transplant center do the screening to know what they will and won’t accept.