Living donation takes place when a living person donates an organ (or part of an organ) for transplantation to another person. The living donor can be a family member, such as a parent, child, brother or sister (living related donation). Living donation can also come from someone who doesn’t have an emotional relationship with the recipient, such as a friend of a friend, coworker, fellow member at their place of worship, neighbor or someone that hears through social media. Thanks to improved medications, a genetic link between the donor and recipient is no longer required to ensure a successful transplant. You don’t even need to have the same blood type as your potential donor to get a kidney because there are internal paired exchange programs within transplant centers and national paired exchange programs that allow an incompatible pair to match up with another incompatible pair; allowing the two donors to switch recipients.

You must be at least 18 years old at all transplant centers. Some centers require a donor to be 21 or a little older. 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. You should always let the transplant center decide if you can be a living donor.

Kidney transplants performed from living donors may have several advantages compared to transplants performed from deceased donors: Some living donor transplants are done between family members who are genetically similar. A better genetic match lessens the risk of rejection. A kidney from a living donor usually functions immediately, because the kidney is out of the body for a very short time. Some deceased donor kidneys do not function immediately, and as a result, the patient may require dialysis until the kidney starts to function. Potential donors can be tested ahead of time to find the donor who is most compatible with the recipient. The transplant can take place at a time convenient for both the donor and recipient.

If you have two healthy kidneys, you may be able to donate one to improve or even save someone else’s life.

Step 1: Decide that you want to be considered for a directed donation Step 2: Call University of Kentucky and complete the questionnaire and return it. Step 3: Complete the questionnaire for University of Cincinnati Step 4: Wait for a member of the medical team to get back with you for next steps.