April is National Donate Life Month (NDLM). The goal of NDLM is to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and encourage Americans to register as donors. In honor of this important cause, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 things you should know about kidney donation.
1. More than 100,000 People in the US are Waiting for a Kidney Transplant
There are many thousands of people waiting for organ or tissue transplants. According to organ donation and transplantation statistics from the National Kidney Foundation, there were 100,791 people waiting for a kidney as of 2016. More than 3,000 are added to the waiting list every month.
2. The Waiting Time for a Kidney Donation is Between 3 and 5 Years
Someone waiting on a transplant list for a deceased donor may wait up to 5 years for a kidney.
3. There are Two Types of Kidney Donation
Deceased Organ Donation
Deceased organ donation happens when an organ is given at the time of the donor’s death. People who decide to be organ donors when they die may provide organs to multiple recipients.
Living Organ Donation
Living donation is when a living person donates an organ to another person for a transplant. Sometimes living donors donate a part of an organ. According to the National Kidney Foundation, 6,442 people received a kidney donation from a living donor in 2018.
4. And There are Two Types of Living Donation
Directed Donation
A directed donation is one in which the donor donates their kidney to a specific person. This is the most common type of living donation. Kidney donors often donate a kidney to blood relatives like siblings, parents, and children. In other cases, donors name someone they have a close personal relationship as the recipient of the kidney. This might close friends or spouses.
Nondirected Donation
Someone making a nondirected kidney donation does not name a recipient for the organ. In these cases, the donor’s kidney is matched with someone in need. These donations are not as common as directed donations.
5. There are Advantages to Living Kidney Donation
Compared to deceased donations, living organ donations have several advantages.
- A kidney from a living donor usually functions immediately after the transplant. This is because the kidney is only outside of the body for a brief period.
- Deceased donor kidneys don’t always function immediately. In those cases, the transplant recipient must go on dialysis until the kidney starts to function properly.
- Living donations are often made by blood relatives who are genetically similar to the recipient. The better the genetic match is, the lower the chance of the organ being rejected after the transplant.
- Living donors can be tested and screened ahead of the transplant procedure. This allows the recipient to find the best match.
6. Living Donation is Safe
Some people are hesitant to become live donors because of concerns about health and safety. There are many myths about organ donation that are untrue and misleading. The vast majority of living donors live long and healthy lives after their donation. If you are considering donating a kidney, keep the following in mind:
- You can live a healthy life with one kidney.
- The hospital stay after a kidney donation is short and recovery is not very long. You can get back to your normal life pretty quickly.
- You can still have a baby after you donate a kidney.
- Living donors have an overall life-span that is the same or slightly higher than other healthy people. That’s because living donors have to be very healthy in order to donate an organ
7. Most Religions Support Kidney Donation
Some people are reluctant to become organ donors because they think it is against the rules of certain faiths. However, most religions throughout the world consider it to be consistent with the principles and ethical beliefs of their faiths. They view it as a gift of life and charity.
8. You Don’t Need to Be Related to Someone to Donate A Kidney
A large percentage of organ donations are made by family members. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give or receive a kidney from someone who is not a blood relative. Spouses, friends, and sometimes even strangers may give or receive organs. To donate a kidney to someone, you have to have a blood and tissue match. It
9. Kidney Transplants Are One of The Most Common Organ Transplants
Kidney transplants are one of the most common organ transplants. They are one of only two types of transplants that can be done with living donors (the other is bone marrow).
10. It’s Easy to Become a Donor
If you want to become a donor, you can fill out a Uniform Donor Card and discuss your wishes with your family. This card is for deceased donations. If you want to become a living donor, there are some qualifications you need to meet. According to the National Kidney Foundation, you must be at least 18 years old and in good mental and physical health. Whether you want to make a directed donation or non-directed donation, you will need to have tests and screenings done before you can donate.
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At Durham Nephrology, we provide compassionate care to patients in Durham and Oxford, NC. We provide services to treat kidney disease and high blood pressure, including hemodialysis and kidney transplants. If you have questions about kidney donation or transplantation, call us at 919-477-3005 to talk to a staff member and make an appointment.
