How to Be a Kidney Donor

In 1998, 12,166 kidney transplants were performed, and of that amount, 4,153 were from living donors. You can donate a kidney to someone with end-stage renal disease even if you're not related by blood. Doing so won't benefit you in a medical sense, but your gift will make you a hero to your recipient.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Consider donating a kidney if you're the parent, sibling, adult child or an extended family member of the loved one in need.

2. Know that if you're not related by blood but are emotionally attached to someone who needs a kidney, excellent donor-recipient matches can still be made with adopted family members, spouses or life-long friends.

3. Evaluate your health status. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems or AIDS, or if you are (or have been) an alcoholic and/or drug addict, you'll probably be ineligible.

4. Volunteer to have a blood test. You don't necessarily have to have the same blood type as your recipient, but you do need to have a compatible type.

5. Undergo a complete physical, including tissue typing, antibody screening, urine tests, EKG and psychological evaluation.

6. Arrive at the hospital, along with the kidney recipient, early in the morning. The donor's surgery begins first.

7. Be prepped and readied for the operation room. An intravenous (IV) tube will be started, and you'll be put to sleep. You'll wake in the recovery room and be moved to either a surgical intensive care unit or a surgical step-down floor.

8. Expect to stay in the hospital between three days and one week. Full recovery from donating won't occur for four to six weeks.

9. Plan to live just as long with one kidney as two. The only risk associated with donating is a slightly increased chance of developing high blood pressure.

Tips & Warnings

• Donor mortality is less than that associated with an appendectomy or a gall-bladder removal. Mortality rate is 0.06 percent, or one in 3,000.
• For more about kidney donation, contact the United Network of Organ Sharing at (888) TX-INFO1.
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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[npravin]

on 10/23/2009 I am a healthy indian 40 yrs male. I am wiliing to donate my kidney in exchange for financial consideration. I have never smoked,drank. Interested personnel should contact via e-mail at [e-mail]

[chrissy11]

on 10/16/2009 Hello! My name is Holly I'm O-. I want to donate a kidney im not hurting for money. I have 2 children and if anything ever happened to them I would hope someone out there could help them. I live in Wa so if you could pay the bills I would love to do it. If you live In WA I could help locally. My email is [e-mail]. PLEASE I want to HELP

[mkd7020]

on 10/2/2009 my age is 42 years and blood group is O+ i have some family problem so i need money that's why i wanna Donate my Kidney.If someone need kidney then contact me very soon My mail id is MKD7020gmail.com

[sb4925]

on 10/2/2009 I am S.B Singh and my age is 26 years and blood group is O+ i have some family problem so i need money that's why i wanna Donate my Kidney.If someone need kidney then contact me very soon My mail id is [e-mail]

[bob1958]

on 7/29/2009 Have kidney will travel USA! Healthy 50yr old male with type O+ blood will donate kidney if medical/travel/other expenses are covered... [e-mail]