where can i donate a kidney

by Brenna Morar 9 min read

You can donate a kidney to a family member or friend who needs one. You can also give it to someone you don't know. Doctors call this a “nondirected” donation, in which case you might decide to meet the person you donate to, or choose to stay anonymous. Either way, doctors will give your kidney to the person who needs it most and is the best match.

Full Answer

What are the steps to donating a kidney?

If you don’t know anyone who needs a transplant, and are willing to consider donating to anyone, you have several options: National Kidney Registry We are the largest paired exchange program in the world and provide unequaled Donor Shield® protections for our donors including reimbursement for lost wages, travel & lodging.

What are the pros and cons of donating a kidney?

Get the Facts About Kidney Donation. Every year, thousands of living donors donate a healthy kidney to a person who has kidney disease, saving them from years of waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor, going through dialysis and complications associated with kidney failure. Although living kidney donation is becoming more common—a record ...

How to become a living kidney donor?

Who can be a living kidney donor? To donate a kidney, you must be in good physical and mental health. As a general rule, you should be 18 years or older. You must also have normal kidney function. There are some medical conditions that could prevent you from being a living donor. These include having uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, HIV, hepatitis, or acute

Who can be a living kidney donor?

Kidney Donation Facts. Every year, thousands of living donors donate a healthy kidney to a person who has kidney disease, saving them from years of waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor, going through dialysis and complications associated with kidney failure. Although living kidney donation is becoming more common—a record 6,860 living ...

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Can you directly donate a kidney?

Who Can I Give My Kidney To? You can donate a kidney to a family member or friend who needs one. You can also give it to someone you don't know. Doctors call this a “nondirected” donation, in which case you might decide to meet the person you donate to, or choose to stay anonymous.Dec 7, 2020

Who is best to donate a kidney?

The most suitable donor is usually a brother, sister, father, mother, son or daughter, but other more distant relatives and friends are sometimes suitable. It is up to kidney patients to ask their relatives/friends to see if they are willing to donate a kidney.Apr 3, 2019

What can disqualify you from donating a kidney?

As a general rule, you should be 18 years or older . You must also have normal kidney function . There are some medical conditions that could prevent you from being a living donor . These include having uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, HIV, hepatitis, or acute infections .

Is donating a kidney worth it?

Donors reported their quality of life was “excellent.” Kidney donors tend to be healthier than the average person, able to tolerate surgery well and return to a healthy lifestyle. Potential donors are screened for high blood pressure and diabetes, two of the main causes of kidney disease.

Does donating a kidney shorten your life?

Living donation does not change life expectancy, and does not appear to increase the risk of kidney failure. In general, most people with a single normal kidney have few or no problems; however, you should always talk to your transplant team about the risks involved in donation.

Is donating a kidney painful?

How much will it hurt? Everyone is different, but you could be in a lot of pain after the surgery. But it will get easier each day, and there are different types of pain relievers to make you feel better. Shortly after surgery, as your anesthesia wears off, you'll get pain medication through an IV into a vein.Nov 19, 2020

Who is the best match for a kidney transplant?

The best match for the recipient is to have 12 out of s12antigen match. (This is known as a zero mismatch.) It is possible for all 12 markers to match, even with an unrelated deceased donor organ, if the patient has a very common HLA type.

Is donating a kidney major surgery?

For the kidney recipient, the risk of transplant surgery is usually low because it is a potentially lifesaving procedure. But kidney donation surgery can expose a healthy person to the risk of and recovery from unnecessary major surgery. Immediate, surgery-related risks of donor nephrectomy include: Pain.May 14, 2021

How much does it cost to donate a kidney?

Of note, median total costs exceeded $1000 for nearly 75% of donors, $5500 for 25% of donors, and $10,000 for 13% of donors. We also noted differences in costs borne by various groups of donors.

Can a female donate a kidney to a male?

Conclusions. Our results suggested gender matching for kidney transplant. Only in some exceptional conditions, male donor to female recipient kidney transplant may be successful and female donors to male recipients are not suggested, especially in aged patients with the history of dialysis.Jan 6, 2020

Can I drink alcohol with one kidney?

Alcohol affects all of your body's organs. However, the effects of alcohol on one kidney lead to multiple issues. Although drinking one to two drinks a day typically won't be an issue, if you have one kidney, it will. When you drink, you will generally urinate more.Oct 16, 2020

What is a perfect kidney match?

To receive a kidney where recipient's markers and the donor's markers all are the same is a "perfect match" kidney. Perfect match transplants have the best chance of working for many years. Most perfect match kidney transplants come from siblings.

Are kidney donors able to live normal, healthy lives after donation?

Donors can live a normal life after donation. We fully evaluate everybody prior to allowing them to donate and if we do determine that there are co...

Does donating a kidney shorten your lifespan?

Donors actually tend to live a longer life because they tend to take much better care of themselves post-donation and hence have a better quality o...

Are kidney donors more likely to get kidney disease?

A huge component of the donor evaluation is assessing the kidney function of the potential donor. If it’s determined that that donor has any type o...

Do you have to be young to donate a kidney?

People into their 70s can donate a kidney—it is all about the health of the potential living donor. The oldest donor that I helped get through the...

Does a kidney donor have to take medications for the rest of their life?

A kidney donor will be given prescriptions for pain medication and stool softeners at discharge from the hospital. These are only for the immediate...

Will a kidney donor experience debilitating pain for an extended period of time?

A kidney donor will have some pain after surgery from both the incisions and related to gas and bloating. This pain will diminish in the days follo...

Will a kidney donor will be on bed rest following surgery?

A kidney donor will be out of bed and walking independently before discharge from the hospital.

Will a kidney donor have to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time after surgery?

A kidney donor will be hospitalized for two nights (i.e., if surgery is on a Tuesday, the donor will typically be discharged on Thursday).

Will a kidney donor still be able to exercise and participate in sports?

A kidney donor should be able to return to regular activities and exercise at approximately four to six weeks following surgery.

Do kidney donors have to follow a special diet following donation?

A kidney donor should eat a healthy, well balanced diet. There are no dietary restrictions following donation.

Are kidney donors able to live normal, healthy lives after donation?

Donors can live a normal life after donation. We fully evaluate everybody prior to allowing them to donate and if we do determine that there are contraindications to donating and we’re putting them at high risk then we will not clear somebody to donate.

Does donating a kidney shorten your lifespan?

Donors actually tend to live a longer life because they tend to take much better care of themselves post-donation and hence have a better quality of life.

Are kidney donors more likely to get kidney disease?

A huge component of the donor evaluation is assessing the kidney function of the potential donor. If it’s determined that that donor has any type of kidney disease, they will not be allowed to donate.

Do you have to be young to donate a kidney?

People into their 70s can donate a kidney—it is all about the health of the potential living donor. The oldest donor that I helped get through the donation process was 78—he donated to his wife and lived a perfectly healthy life afterwards.

Does a kidney donor have to take medications for the rest of their life?

A kidney donor will be given prescriptions for pain medication and stool softeners at discharge from the hospital. These are only for the immediate post-operative period, after that time, a donor does not have to take medication. A kidney donor will never have to take anti-rejection medications.

Will a kidney donor experience debilitating pain for an extended period of time?

A kidney donor will have some pain after surgery from both the incisions and related to gas and bloating. This pain will diminish in the days following surgery and can be controlled with pain medication if necessary.

Will a kidney donor will be on bed rest following surgery?

A kidney donor will be out of bed and walking independently before discharge from the hospital.

Who can be a living kidney donor?

To donate a kidney, you must be in good physical and mental health. As a general rule, you should be 18 years or older. You must also have normal kidney function. There are some medical conditions that could prevent you from being a living donor.

Can smokers be living donors?

Smoking is considered a risk to the potential donor. Because smoking damages the lungs, it may put the donor at a higher risk of developing pneumonia after surgery. Potential donors should be honest with the transplant center about smoking habits to ensure that the donation and transplant are successful.

How do I start the process to see if I can donate a kidney?

If you have two healthy kidneys, you may be able to donate one to save someone’s life. Click here for more information.

Who Can I Give My Kidney To?

You can donate a kidney to a family member or friend who needs one. You can also give it to someone you don't know. Doctors call this a “nondirected” donation, in which case you might decide to meet the person you donate to, or choose to stay anonymous. Either way, doctors will give your kidney to the person who needs it most and is the best match.

Am I Healthy Enough to Donate a Kidney?

Your doctor will do some tests to find out for sure. They’ll check your blood and urine, and may also do an ultrasound or take X-rays of your kidneys. You may not be able to donate if you have medical issues like diabetes or high blood pressure.

What Happens After Surgery?

Your doctor will prescribe medications to help manage your pain. They’ll also want you to get up and start moving around shortly afterward.

How Can I Donate?

If you want to give your kidney to a friend or family member, talk to the doctor at the transplant center. You'll start taking tests to see if you're a match.

Does insurance cover transplants?

Generally speaking, the recipient's health insurance should cover your screening tests, surgery, and follow-up care. But you may have extra expenses, such as gas, tolls, and parking as you go back and forth between your home and the transplant center, notes Nothdurft.

Can you have one kidney?

Willingness aside, not everyone can be a kidney donor. While most people can live a normal life with just one kidney, it's not equally safe for everyone to try. Potential donors must be in good health and be free of kidney disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and a host of other issues. You have to be strong enough to make it through surgery ...

Can you give a kidney to a stranger?

You could give a kidney to a total stranger, and some people do. Or, as in Nothdurft's case, simply hearing about a specific patient who needs a kidney, even if it's not someone you know well, might be enough to motivate you. But most people find it easiest to sign up for such a "selfless" act when the person in need is their parent, child, ...

Can I Get Paid to Donate a Kidney?

Statistics say nearly 100,000 people in the US alone are waiting for a kidney transplant. But only 20,000 get to do the transplant because of low number of available donors.

How Much does it Cost to Donate a Kidney?

There is no amount of money that can buy the value of a human organ but this worldwide organ shortage has caused the black market to open. Now people are willing to give their organs for a price. Less than its worth.

What are the Pros and Cons of getting Paid to Donate Kidney?

There’s no question that becoming a donor is actually a big advantage to the individual who gets your kidney. It’s essential to understand there can certainly be advantages to the donor, also. Several of these are;

How to Sell a kidney?

You sell a kidney by firstly making sure that you are a good match for the person you want to donate to and that you are healthy enough to donate. Yes. A healthy kidney is much better for the recipient.

Final Thoughts

I hope that this well-detailed research would help you navigate how to get paid to donate a kidney to others in 2021. A healthy kidney is paramount to both the donor and the recipient.

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