Living Donation
Living organ donation first emerged in 1954, when a kidney from one twin was successfully transplanted into his brother. It has become an increasingly important way to help confront the shortage of organs available for transplants, reduce wait times for recipients, and give people a second chance at a fuller, more independent life.
START THE CONVERSATION
Call The Living Bank and we will provide contact information to transplant centers in your area or anywhere in the United States that has a living donor program. The Living Bank’s licensed clinical social workers and staff are always here to answer your questions on living organ donation.
Call 1-800-528-2971 today.
What is Living Donation?
Living organ donation is the process of a living person donating their kidney, or portion of their liver, to another person in need of a lifesaving transplant. Living organ donors, usually a loved one or family friend, offer an alternative to waiting years on the national transplant list for a deceased organ donor. Living organ donation offers hope and a second chance at life to recipients.
Save Lives Now
A kidney or liver from a living donor is the fastest option, with the best results, that can save a life now.
Contact us at 713-961-9431 for more information on living organ donation, or fill out the form linked below:
Types of Living Donation
Directed
Donors specify to whom they want to donate an organ. They can include biological relatives; a biologically unrelated individual connected to the potential recipient, such as a spouse, friend, or co-worker; or a biologically unrelated person who has heard about someone in need of a transplant.
Non-directed (altruistic)
Donors give to an anonymous recipient on the national waiting list. Altruistic donors may also participate in a kidney chain. In a kidney chain your kidney is transplanted into a recipient who had a donor willing to give a kidney, but whose donor was not a match for them. This means your one donation can allow for many other donations to happen.
Paired
This involves two or more pairs of living kidney donors and recipients who are not medically compatible. The transplant candidates swap donors so that each receives an organ from someone with a matching blood type.
“A hero is somebody who is selfless, who is generous in spirit, who just tries to give back as much as possible and help people.”
Doug Williams
Our friend, and volunteer, Subbu Venkat donated his kidney to his wife, Anita Chadah. Subbu is an avid marathon runner and a supporter of the Living bank.
Recovery Process
It is common for donors to experience exhaustion and small increases in blood pressure. Living kidney donors are generally discharged within one to two days and living liver donors are typically discharged within a week or two.
Recovery times vary among living donors. Living kidney donors may resume their regular activities within four to six weeks after donation and living liver donors generally resume normal activities within eight weeks.
Lifestyle
Living organ donors lead healthy, active lives after donation. The Living Bank has relationships with a large community of living donors and we would be happy to connect you with them to ask questions and hear their personal stories.