Be a living donor
Almost 90,000 men, women and children currently need life-saving kidney transplants. It is crucial that we spread the word about the importance of organ donation and sharing your decision to donate with your family.
There are more than 2,200 people in Arizona waiting for an organ transplant today, of those an overwhelming 1,588 are in need of a kidney transplant.
While there is a critical need for kidney donation, kidneys can be transplanted from a living donor. To be a living donor you need to be in good general health; and free from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease and heart disease.
What is Paired Donation
Kidney paired donation is when one incompatible donor/recipient pair is matched with another pair with the same situation. In this format, the donor of the first pair gives to the recipient of the second pair and vice versa. This simple exchange concept has now expanded to multiple donor/recipient pairs. Pairing has increased the number of humanitarian donors, or individuals who donates a kidney without a prior relationship to the recipient.
If you want to donate to a loved one but do not match, paired donation may be an option for you.
To learn more about paired donation visit the Alliance for Paired Donation website.
Kidney Transplants Saves Lives
When someone living with kidney failure receives a kidney transplant, especially from a living donor, there are immediate results. The new kidney begins to remove toxins from the recipient’s body within hours. The recipient’s recovery time is shortened, and many other health complications that came from the kidney failure reverse or slow. The recipient’s energy returns, and he or she no longer needs to schedule life around a dialysis machine.
A living kidney donor allows the recipient the privilege of “paying it forward” by giving someone else his or her place in line. What is even more remarkable in living kidney donation? Kidneys transplanted from living kidney donors provide up to double the years of function versus a post-mortem kidney. When you donate the gift of a kidney, you not only change the recipient’s life for the better, but often the lives of loved ones as well. As best said by many valiant living kidney donors, “giving while living” was by far their most meaningful lifetime achievement. Become part of this growing movement today!
Information You Need to Know
In order to qualify as a living donor, an individual must be in good general health, and free from serious health risks. Routine tests are also performed to determine the potential donor's level of physical and mental health, and compatibility with the patient awaiting a transplant. Gender and race are not factors in determining a successful match. People of all ages and backgrounds can be organ donors; however, those under age 18 must have permission from a parent or guardian.
There have been more than 107,000 living kidney donors to date who have given the Gift of Life. The surgery is now done laparoscopically with shorter recovery time and less risk. Typically, the recipient’s insurance covers the donor’s medical costs related to testing and procedure. Living donors do not need to be blood-related or even blood-type compatible. All living donors are awarded points for their donation, so if they ever need a kidney later in life, they are given priority on the list.
If you are considering being a living organ donor, it’s important to educate yourself about the donation process, required testing, financial considerations, risks and recovery.
Learn More About Living Donation
If you’re ready to give the gift of life as a Living Donor, contact one of the centers below.
Transplant Centers in Arizona
Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center
Phoenix, AZ
http://bit.ly/BannerTransplant
(602) 839-7000
Mayo Clinic
Scottsdale, AZ
http://bit.ly/MayoTransplant
(800) 446-2279
University of Arizona Medical Center
Tucson, AZ
http://bit.ly/UMCtransplant
(520) 694-0111