Living donation evaluation process
Learn more about living donation and the donor evaluation process.
You can watch the full living donation video series on YouTube.
Living donation is when a person donates one of their kidneys or part of their liver to another person. Living donors are often relatives, loved ones, or friends, but can also come from anonymous people.
Benefits or living donation
Living donation has many benefits and should be considered if possible.
- Shorter wait time for an organ
- Higher quality of donated organ
- More convenient scheduling for the donor and recipient
- Recipient may avoid some risks linked to treatment for and progression of end-stage organ failure
- Improves the recipient’s health and quality of life sooner
Living donor evaluation process
Each person wanting to donate an organ goes through a rigorous evaluation process to make sure they are both physically and emotionally healthy enough to donate. This process is similar to what recipients do.
The evaluation is done during an outpatient appointment. During this appointment you will meet with many team members and do blood testing and imaging tests, including:
- X-ray
- MRI
- CT scan
Remember, not everyone who wants to donate an organ is able to. The health and safety of the donor is the final decision maker.
Independent living donor advocate
During your appointment, you will meet with an independent living donor advocate (ILDA). They are a special health care provider that works at UI Health Care but is independent of the transplant center. They may be a doctor, advanced practitioner, or social worker.
Role of ILDA
- Help protect the best interests of the living donor
- Advocate for donor’s rights
- Help donor understand the consent and evaluation process
- Go over risks and benefits of living donation
- Review alternatives for recipient
- Answer any questions
Living donor’s rights
Your care team cannot share information about you with the potential recipient, but you are free to do so.
You can withdraw your consent at any point to stop the process. Your reason for withdrawal is confidential.
The living donor evaluation process and donation hospitalization are covered by the recipient’s insurance. Personal costs (transportation, lodging, lost wages, etc.) may not be covered by insurance.
Talk to your employer about their leave policy before committing to living donation.
Pre-operative requirements
After you are approved and the surgery is scheduled, the living donor coordinator will review the following requirements:
- Medicines
- How to get ready for surgery
- What to bring to the hospital
- Directions for day of surgery