What does it mean to be a living kidney donor?
Living kidney donors can save the life of a family member, friend, neighbor or even a complete stranger. The gift of life that comes from a living donor transplant can provide a shorter wait time, reduce the risk of complications and offer a better chance for long-term success for the person who receives your kidney.
With more than 100,000 people across the country waiting for a kidney transplant, living kidney donors can offer them a second chance at living their healthiest life possible.
Why should you choose Intermountain Healthcare for living kidney donation?
Our living donor program is committed to helping patients achieve transplant while maintaining the highest standards of health and safety for donors and recipients. Since the living kidney donor program started in 1983, we’ve performed more than 1,300 living donor transplants and more than 3,000 total kidney transplants.
Intermountain works with the National Kidney Registry to offer paired donation for both incompatible pairs and compatible pairs in order to provide the best match and better outcomes for donors and recipients.
Through innovative thinking and a team of dedicated caregivers focused on kidney donors and recipients, we’re able to provide care for patients across the Intermountain West.
Your Donation Journey
The length of your journey will mainly depend on how quickly you finish each step. Expected times are shown below:
Getting Started (takes 2-3 days)
Learning more about you (takes 2-3 weeks)
Evaluation in a transplant clinic (about 2 weeks)
Donation (time may vary)
Follow-up (two years)
Frequently Asked Questions
What tests do you need to have to become a living kidney donor?
The first thing we think about when choosing a living kidney donor is long-term health and keeping you safe. This means we need to test your general health and kidney function to figure out if you’re a good fit.
A donor can expect to have a blood test and a urine test to check for anything out of the ordinary. You will also need to get an EKG to check your heart health, an x-ray to check your lungs, and a CT scan to check for things like kidney size, shape, or tumors. Routine age-appropriate cancer screenings need to be up to date, too. Extra testing may be needed based on your unique circumstances.
How long does it take to become a living kidney donor?
The path to become a living kidney donor is made up of three parts: evaluation, surgery, and follow-up.
Evaluation, in most cases, can be done on a single day in our transplant clinic. It may take two to three weeks to go over your results and get approval to donate. Once approved, surgery can move forward based on availability.
The timeframe may be extended if unexpected health issues come up or if the recipient is not a direct match for your organ.
How will I know if I am a match, and do I need to have the same blood group as my donor-recipient?
Lab tests help us figure out if your blood group and tissue type are a match. For kidney donors who are not a match, you can still make it possible for your recipient to get a living donor kidney through paired donation.
Kidney paired donation is a transplant option for candidates who have a living donor that is medically able to donate their kidney, but may not be the best match for the person they we supposed to donate their kidney to in the first place.
The National Kidney Registry organizes a list of other kidney donor and recipient pairs to get better matches for everyone throughout the group.
What if there are multiple eligible kidney donors?
If multiple potential kidney donors step forward for the same person who needs a kidney transplant, a donor is selected based on blood group, best match, overall health, and availability. In these cases, a kidney donor may be placed on hold while another match is found.
When can I go back to my normal routine after donating a kidney?
While every situation can be different, most kidney donors should plan to take three to six weeks off work for surgery and recovery time. Physically demanding jobs may require you to take eight weeks off work. During recovery, you should avoid lifting anything over 10 to 15 pounds, and we recommend going on walks for exercise.
Kidney donors can go back to their normal routine after eight weeks, but it may take time for your energy levels to go back to what they were. Physically active communities of living kidney donors are proof of how good the outcomes can be for donors.
Will I have diet or medication restrictions after donating a kidney?
A heart-healthy diet is recommended after kidney donation. It is also important to stay well-hydrated and avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to maintain the health of your kidney.
Who pays for kidney donation-related expenses?
Expenses related to kidney donor testing, surgery, and follow-up are covered by the recipient's health care insurance and are not billed to the kidney donor. However, kidney donors may experience indirect costs such as travel, housing, and lost wages.
You can get help with those costs through the National Living Donor Assistance Center and the National Kidney Registry's Donor Shield program.
We also encourage you to look through other resources, including more about the financial and medical impacts of living kidney donation, at the American Society of Transplantation Living Donor Toolkit.
Will I need to travel to donate a kidney?
Option 1: A kidney donor can travel to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah for evaluation and surgery. Kidney donors who come to Intermountain Medical Center for surgery will need to stay in the Salt Lake City area for one to two weeks, or until they are cleared by the surgical team to go home. If you are planning a trip, please contact us at (801) 507-6333 for a list of hotels with discounted rates and to apply for financial help.
Option 2: A kidney donor may be referred to a transplant program closer to where they live through the National Kidney Registry’s Remote Donation Network. Remote donation lets the donor recover at home while their kidney is shipped to the recipient's transplant center.
Would it be possible to speak with someone who has been a living kidney donor?
Potential kidney donors who complete the health questionnaire can opt-in to talk to a living kidney donor mentor from the National Kidney Donation Organization.
Kidney donor mentors can tell you about their personal experience as a living kidney donor on an informal basis. They will not share any medical information about the kidney donation process because this should only come from qualified professionals like doctors.
A Care Team Centered Around You
Living Donor Advocate
Your Living Donor Advocate plays a key role in your journey.
A living donor advocate gives support to organ donors and makes sure their rights and interests are protected while avoiding contact with the person who’s supposed to receive the organ. Donor advocates also make sure you’re not being pressured to donate an organ. The advocate can also help potential donors throughout the donation process and answer questions privately and without judgement.
Living Donor Assistant
Your Living Donor Assistant plays a key role in your journey.
A living donor assistant is often a donor’s first point of contact with the transplant team. They help you with medical records requests, keep you informed of your status, schedule appointments, and answer questions in the early phases of your organ donation journey.
Living Donor Coordinator
Your Living Donor Coordinator plays a key role in your journey.
A living donor coordinator is a registered nurse who helps educate you about living donation and works as a case manager throughout the process. Coordinators also make sure any tests and evaluations you need are done. They also keep you updated about your results and progress. Potential donors are contacted by a living donor coordinator after the questionnaire is reviewed to answer questions and discuss the donation process.
Provider
Your Provider plays a key role in your journey.
A transplant provider can be a specialist, a transplant surgeon, or another type of physician. They will lead your care team.
Advanced Practice Provider
Your Advanced Practice Provider plays a key role in your journey.
An Advanced Practice Provider (APP) is usually a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner. They help support your provider in diagnosing and managing your care.
Dietitian
Your Dietitian plays a key role in your journey.
A dietitian helps you eat a healthy diet that will prepare you for a transplant. After surgery, their advice will help your body get the calories and nutrition it needs to heal.
Transplant Pharmacist
Your Transplant Pharmacist plays a key role in your journey.
A pharmacist specializing in caring for transplant patients will instruct you about your transplant medications. They will explain any side effects, and how to take the medications.
Social Worker
Your Social Worker plays a key role in your journey.
The process of getting an organ transplant can be very emotional. Our social workers can help you and your family cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. They can also help connect you with community resources, housing, and spiritual support.
Financial Coordinator
Your Financial Coordinator plays a key role in your journey.
A financial coordinator will handle your billing. They will work with your insurance to figure out benefits. They can also help get financial assistance.
Nurse
Your Nurse plays a key role in your journey.
In the hospital, nurses help give you daily care. They keep track of your symptoms and side effects and help you know what is happening with your transplant.