What it takes to be a kidney donor

The desire to donate a kidney, whether to a stranger or a loved one, is a profound act of generosity that can reverberate for generations.

It also involves a commitment to a rigorous screening and matching process before any surgery is scheduled.

Because the need for kidneys far exceeds the number of them available for transplantation, living donors fill a critical gap that not only saves a life but restores its quality.

Today, about 90,000 Americans with severe kidney disease are awaiting a transplant, but 11 of them die each day before a suitable organ can be found, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.

Benefits of live donor kidneys

Most transplanted U.S. kidneys come from deceased donors. Getting a kidney from a live donor has significant advantages for the recipient, including a lower risk of rejection as well as better and longer function.

The UCI Health Kidney Transplant Program has seen the number of living donors grow each year, says Heather Abrari, the program’s outreach and education coordinator. In 2024, their patients received 34 such kidneys, up from 25 in 2023.

Dr. Uttam Reddy, medical director of the transplant program, is eager for those numbers to continue to increase so that more patients living with chronic kidney disease can go off of dialysis.

“I view dialysis as a bridge to transplant, and we want to keep that bridge as short as possible,” the nephrologist says, noting that around 40% to 50% of patients starting dialysis are alive after five years.

Patients in need of a transplant at UCI Health are asked if they have family or friends who might consider a donation.

“A lot of patients are hesitant to ask, but many wonderful people do step up. Remember, even if there’s incompatibility, one donation can turn into a paired or chain opportunity,” Reddy points out.

The kidney donation process

If you’re at least 18 years old, the first step in donating a kidney is finding out whether you are in good health.

This involves collecting a full health and medical history. Tests and exams done may include:

• Antibody test
• Blood test
• Cancer screenings, including a colonoscopy, mammogram, Pap smear and prostate-specific antigen test
• Cardiology test
• Hepatitis test
• HIV test
• Kidney imaging, including ultrasound and CT scan
• Urine test

Tissue typing and crossmatching are done to determine whether your kidney is a match and will not be rejected by the recipient’s body.

Ensuring mental readiness

Another part of the pre-donation examination is a meeting with the social worker to determine whether you are mentally ready to donate a kidney. This includes a full review of the risks of kidney donation, which can include an increased chance of developing high blood pressure and lower kidney function.

At this time, the potential financial costs of being a kidney donor are addressed. This includes resources for reimbursement for travel and lodging during the evaluation process and surgery.

Research has shown that kidney donation doesn’t shorten one’s life. In fact, some studies have shown that donors live longer than average, which is attributed to the need to stay healthy after donation.

Individuals not eligible to be living donors include anyone with serious health problems, untreated mental health disorders, a history of drug or alcohol abuse, or a history of missing treatment or not taking medication as directed.

What happens if you’re selected

If you are a match for a patient in need of a kidney, you will either be scheduled for surgery or places on the National Kidney Registry’s national database to search for paired exchange matches.

Following surgery, you may be hospitalized for a few days to recover, depending on your health. Most donors are able to return to work about a month after the procedure and return to pre-donation activities within three months.

You will also need to return for follow-up visits at intervals determined by the program. Often, donors will return two weeks following surgery, then at six months, a year and two years post-procedure.

What remains is a sense of having contributed to the well-being of another person, says Reddy.

“After donation, a living kidney donor feels a deep sense of fulfillment and joy knowing that they’ve given someone the gift of life and a second chance at health”

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a living kidney donor at UCI Health, visit www.livingdonoruci.org