Living Donation Information

Donating a kidney so someone can live a life free of dialysis is one of the greatest gifts a person can give.  This unselfish act to a relative, loved one or friend gives the donor an opportunity to greatly improve the quality of life for someone they love or want to help. The greatest advantage of living donation is that the kidney tends to have more immediate function and last longer than a kidney from a deceased donor. All potential donors must be genuinely willing to donate, physically fit, in good general health; free from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease and heart disease. Individuals considered for living donation are usually between 18 and 65 years of age. Gender and race are not factors in determining a successful match.

Living related donors are healthy blood relatives of transplant candidates. They can be:

• Brothers and sisters
• Parents
• Children (over 18 years of age)
• Other blood relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins, half brothers & sisters, nieces & nephews)

Living unrelated donors may be emotionally close to, but not related by blood to the transplant candidate. They can be:

• Spouses
• In-law relatives
• Close friends
• Co-workers, neighbors or other acquaintances

What will be expected of the donor?

The donor will be assigned a nurse coordinator who will be responsible for educating them through the donation process. The coordinator will work only with the donor and cannot disclose any health information to their family or the recipient.

 How long does the process take?

The donation process depends on how many tests are required of the donor and how quickly he or she is able to complete them. The average donor work up may take six months or more for completion.

Conditions that MAY prevent a person from being accepted as a donor:

• Diabetes
• Significant obesity
• Positive HIV status
• A history of hepatitis
• High blood pressure or the use of medication for high blood pressure
• A history of more than one episode of kidney stones
• Chronic use of some medications for arthritis or other chronic pain
• Cancer
• Mental illness
• Strong family history of kidney disease or diabetes

The donor evaluation is performed at no cost to the donor as long as the intended recipient is eligible for medicare benefits. The donor’s surgery and hospitalization are billed to the recipients insurance.

If the donor is incompatible with the intended recipient there is still an opportunity to participate in the ABO “Incompatible transplant program” or “Paired donation transplant program” at www.healthcare.ucla.edu/transplant.

If you are considering being a donor or know someone who is, please forward this literature or contact us at Info@lovejones4life.com.

                                                                                                                                            You can make a difference in someone’s life!