In much of the U.S., the waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor is longer than 3 years from the qualifying date. Finding a living donor may help you get a kidney transplant sooner.
Living kidney donation is when a person (the donor) donates 1 of their 2 kidneys to someone in need of a kidney transplant (the recipient).
Living donation has some advantages over deceased donation (when a recipient gets a kidney from someone who has died). For example, a living donor kidney:
- Can last 5-10 years longer than a deceased donor kidney
- Begins working sooner after the transplant compared to a deceased donor kidney
Think about people you know who may be able to donate a kidney to you. People who are in good health, have 2 healthy kidneys, and are emotionally and mentally prepared for the process can be considered as living kidney donors. They can be the same or different age, race, and ethnicity from you.
Living kidney transplants have been done successfully for decades. Nearly 190,000 have been done in the U.S. Transplant teams do full medical evaluations to ensure the donor's safety before going ahead with the surgery.
In most cases, the recipient's insurance covers the donor's medical expenses for evaluation, surgery, and follow-up care. Other financial assistance programs may be available to cover non-medical costs and support the donor during their recovery.
If you would like to learn more about living kidney donation and seek information to share with friends, family, or others who may be considering donating a kidney to you, please visit:
What is it like to donate a kidney?
The surgery to remove a kidney from a living donor typically takes around 2 - 3 hours. However, the total time involved in the donation process, including the evaluation before surgery and the recovery afterwards, can last several weeks.
Most living kidney donors go on to live normal, healthy lives with 1 kidney. Their remaining kidney typically makes up for the loss of the donated kidney and maintains normal kidney function. However, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and have regular doctor visits to check kidney function.
Donating a kidney does not shorten how long a person can expect to live. On average, living kidney donors tend to live longer due to healthier lifestyle habits such exercising, eating right, and avoiding poor habits like smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
Each person's recovery time may vary, but most donors can expect to return to their normal activities in 4 - 6 weeks. The donor’s transplant team will give them full medical care and support throughout the process. And donors can withdraw at any point in the evaluation process without any explanation.
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