BECOMING A LIVING DONOR

If you don't already know your blood type, you can donate blood at any facility and they should tell you within 48 hours!

During your donor evaluation, the transplant team is going to ask that you have all of the following health screenings up to date:

• Dental exams
• Yearly follow up with a primary care physician
• Cancer screenings (depending on age; they may ask that a colonoscopy and mammogram screening be done)

Before getting into the evaluation tests, the transplant center will send you an online health questionnaire. If they think you may be a potential donor, they will call and bring you in for the first round of testing (or call to explain why you cannot donate at this time). These tests could include: 

• Blood and Urine testing
• Heart and Lung testing
• Blood Pressure testing
• Ultrasound/imaging of your kidneys
• Antibody testing

During this time is when you would be completing all of your other health screenings. Also at this time you would be meeting with a social worker and transplant surgeon to go over the logistics of what happens before, during, and after transplant. 

This process can take a few months to complete, but once all of the initial testing is done and they have completed any necessary follow-up tests, they will let you know if you can be a kidney donor or not!

Since this is a living donation, the surgery can be scheduled around whatever timeframe we need (assuming the recipient is feeling okay). 

Giving someone one of your organs is a scary thought- it is the ultimate act of selflessness. There are obviously going to be some lifestyle changes after donating an organ, after kidney donation, the donor will have to:

• Maintain a healthy diet, being mindful about sodium and protein
• Lower intake of nonsteroidal medications (Such as Ibuprofen or Advil)

After kidney donation, your remaining kidney will increase in size to compensate for the loss of the donated kidney, and as a kidney donor, your risk of developing kidney disease later in life is no higher than it is for someone in the general population of similar race, age, and sex. 

OHSU preforms kidney transplants laparoscopically for donors,  meaning there will only be two-three 1 inch scars around the abdomen. Recovery time for kidney donors at OHSU is typically 2-3 weeks until you can return to work with light duty (not lifting more than 20lbs.) and 6-12 weeks before being completely healed. 

For more information about what to expect after donation, please click the link below:

https://www.kidney.org/transplantation/what-to-expect-after-donation