Living kidney donation is a minimally invasive surgery that can help patients with kidney failure either avoid or shorten their time on dialysis while improving their quality of life. Most donors step forward in response to the need of a friend, family, or coworker. But some are interested in donating to help a stranger “because they can.” Living kidney donors can significantly impact the life of people who are experiencing kidney failure, but donation is a very personal decision and not all people are medically able to donate. Our team is committed to fully evaluating a potential donor’s medical and psychosocial health to determine a donor’s safety and suitability for kidney donation.

Sometimes differences in blood type or tissue type (or age or size) cause donors to not be a “match” with their intended recipient. In these situations, participating in our paired exchange program (PEP!) can make a living donor transplant a reality.

With a living donation, surgery can be scheduled at the convenience of the donor and recipient, often before the kidney disease has progressed to a severe stage. This leads to fewer complications, faster recovery, and better long-term success.