Ready to Donate?
The first step toward becoming a living donor is to complete a health questionnaire from the Transplant Center—Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center.
Health questionnaires are delivered in total privacy
The link to the right will open One Medical Passport.
Click the green “Register” button
Create an account.
Continue
Choose Presbyterian/St. Luke’s as medical facility.
As Named Recipient, enter JULIA ARONSON.
If you prefer to call the kidney transplant center number is (720)-754-2155 or toll free (800)-758-1005
The transplant center will review the information and check to see if a potential donor qualifies to be tested to determine if he or she is a match to Jules
The donor can change his or her mind at any point in the process (Julia will not even know that the possibility of donation has been explored unless the donor wants her to know)
Prospective donors are assigned a nurse coordinator to guide them through the entire process. To get an overview of the steps involved, read a letter from a transplant program living donor coordinator click HERE.
Prospective donors must be evaluated by the Transplant Team. For details, watch a video HERE.
The Organ Donation Process:
Did you know?
There are no medical costs associated with becoming a living donor.
There is no need to worry about the cost of becoming a kidney donor. Were you to donate to Jules (or anyone else), all medical costs are paid by the insurance company of the transplant recipient. This includes the cost for surgery and medical care required during recuperation. It also includes the cost of all testing required to see if you are a match. Indeed, if you get tested and are not a suitable match, all the medical costs are still paid by the potential recipient’s insurance company. And to be clear, there are no deductibles or co-pays; all medical costs means ALL medical costs.
There are, of course, other costs besides medical ones. Basically, these consist of travel expenses and lost wages at work. There are organizations that can provide reimbursement for these, so can private donations. Under the law, a donor is not allowed to profit from the donation, but we can work with any donor to make sure that he or she does not have any costs or losses due to the wonderful and selfless act of donating a kidney.
It can take 5-7 years to get a kidney from a deceased donor.
There is no way to know exactly how long it will take to get a kidney from a dead donor (someone who is an organ donor who dies in a way that does not damage his or her kidneys.) There is a long waiting list, but when one gets a kidney is dependent upon when a kidney becomes available from a person with the appropriate blood type and other matching factors. At the moment, the expected waiting time in Colorado where Jules lives is 5-7 years. While waiting, one must stay on dialysis with all of its effects, both positive and negative.
Donors can live a normal, healthy life with only one kidney.
A person is born with two kidneys, but you do not need both of them for a normal life. In fact, people can survive quite well with only one kidney, even if that kidney were to function at only 30% effectiveness. Studies have shown that people who donate a kidney actually tend to live longer than the population as a whole. Empowered by helping someone else in such profound way, many feel happier, have a better quality of life, deepen their sense of well-being, and find greater peace of mind. Jules’ blood type is B (she is looking for a type B or O) but you can donate even if you are not a blood type match though the paired donation program. To learn more about paired donation click HERE.
DONOR STORIES:
To learn more about the donation experience and life after donation from real kidney donors click HERE.
Organ donation has been saving lives since 1954.
Organ donation began in 1954 with the first successful transplant. Over the years, the process has been refined and improved. Right now, there are over 100,000 Americans awaiting a kidney for transplantation. Many won’t make it. Thousands die each year without ever getting the life saving transplant. Becoming an organ donor is the best way to help.
Living donation is the best treatment for kidney failure.
Dialysis is debilitating and is not a long term solution.
Living donation provides many more years of life on average than a kidney from a deceased donor or dialysis.
Living donation also provides a good quality of life; recipients have to take anti-rejection meds, but otherwise, they can lead a relatively normal life.
How is a kidney obtained?
There are basically two ways to get a kidney for transplantation. First is obtaining a kidney from a deceased donor. That is a kidney taken from someone who has died and who agreed to be an organ donor upon death. The donor has to have died in a way that the kidney was not damaged. The kidney also has to match to recipient.
When a kidney becomes available for transplant, there is a procedure run by the federal government that governs who will be the recipient. The details of this process are complicated. Suffice to say that in Colorado, where Jules lives, getting a kidney from a deceased donor takes about 5-7 years.
The other way to get a kidney is from a live donor, the goal of our effort. Once a live donor is found, the transplantation can be scheduled immediately. Years of waiting can be avoided. Years of dialysis and all the abhorrent side effects can be avoided. Normal life can be resumed. Basically, by donating a kidney, the donor is giving the recipient his or her life back.
There are many things to consider when contemplating living kidney donation.
Additional Resources:
Living Donation
Paired Donation
Ready to Donate?
The first step toward becoming a living donor is to complete a health questionnaire from the Transplant Center at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center. Health questionnaires are delivered in total privacy. The Transplant Team will review the information to see if a potential donor qualifies for testing to determine whether he or she is a match to Jules.
The link below will open One Medical Passport. Click the green “Register” button and create an account. Continue.
As Facility, choose Presbyterian/St. Luke’s. As Named Recipient, enter JULIA ARONSON.
If you prefer, you may call the Transplant Center at (720) 754-2155 or(800) 758-1005, Option 3.
FAQs
Why should I become a living kidney donor?
The gift of living donation is the ultimate gift. Giving of oneself with the intention to allow another to live a longer, more fulfilled life is quite a unique experience. Studies have shown that living kidney donors have a higher quality of life and greater sense of wellbeing when compared to their siblings who were unable to donate. There is a special bond that grows and evolves between a receipt and their donor. Their own personal hero. All donors are “real life” heroes. If you have a loved one who is in need of a kidney transplant and are interested in learning more about this unique process, the following information should help shed some light into how special your gift could be.
Is Kidney Transplantation a better option for the recipient than dialysis?
Absolutely. Studies have shown people live longer with a transplant than on dialysis. Also, quality of life is significantly better with a transplant, as dialysis can limit one’s work life, and family time.
What are the different types of kidney transplants?
There are two types of kidney transplants. Deceased donor kidneys and Living donor kidneys. Deceased donor kidneys come from people who have died in accidents, or due to heart attacks or strokes. Living donor kidneys come from healthy individuals – related or unrelated – who undergo rigorous testing to assure they are safe to donate.
Why is a living donor kidney better?
Living donor kidneys are the preferred option over deceased donors for 2 major reasons:
Most people wait 3-5 years on the wait list for a deceased donor kidney. A living donor transplant, if a healthy, suitable donor is available, can be scheduled within months. Sometimes, if planned correctly, dialysis can be avoided completely with a living donor transplant. On average, 10.2 people on dialysis die every day
Living donor kidneys last longer than deceased donor kidneys. A deceased donor kidney transplant, on average, lasts 10-15 years while a living donor transplant lasts 12-20 years.
Am I a candidate to donate? How do I begin the living donor evaluation?
The first thing to determine is if you are the same blood type as the recipient. If you are not a match, you can still donate trough a process called paired exchange. Ask your transplant coordinator about this special program. Next is the tissue typing and cross match evaluation. You will undergo a through medical evaluation to make sure it is safe for you to donate. This entire process is strictly confidential and not shared with the recipient.
Can I donate my kidney to someone I am not related to?
Yes. In fact, non-related, living donor transplants last longer than deceased donor kidneys. The only barriers are blood type and that the recipient doesn’t have an antibody against the donor.
Will donating a kidney shorten my lifespan?
No. Actually, data has shown that living kidney donors live longer than the average person. Some scientists believe this is due to a selection bias; people who donate a kidney are some of the most healthy people, thus they should be expected to live longer than the average person.
Will I be able to live a normal life after donating a kidney?
Certainly. Decades of patient follow up confirms that donating a kidney does not affect your day to day life in any way. Donors can hike, bike, drive, travel to distant countries, pretty much everything they did before they donated. We recommend a yearly examination by your PCP.
What are the major risks of being a donor? Can I die from the surgery?
The risk of death for a living kidney donor is extremely low – on average there are 3 deaths for every 10,000 living donor surgeries performed. Surgical complications are very low as well, less than 3%. The typical complications are similar to those that happen with general surgery, such as a urinary tract infection, skin infection, bleeding, a blood clot in your legs that can go to the lungs. As we do our donor surgeries laparoscopically, you will be left with a 3cm incisional scar that may fade over time.
What if my remaining kidney fails?
Although this complication is extremely rare, the United Network for Organ Sharing has a policy for this. Prior living donors who subsequently need a kidney transplant are placed near the top of the deceased donor list, thus receive a kidney within a few months.
How long does the surgery take? How long will I be in the hospital?
The surgery lasts about 2-3 hours. The typical length of stay is 3 days. Most donors are out of work for about 2-6 weeks.
What should I expect my recovery time to be? How will I feel after the surgery?
Most donors will have mild to moderate pain post operatively, that is usually relieved by oral pain medications. Most patients feel they no longer need pain medications after 2 weeks or even sooner. Most donors can eat the first or second day after the operation. We recommend you don’t lift anything over 20 lbs for 6 weeks and avoid driving for 2 weeks. If you have children, you will need assistance for the first week you return from the hospital.
When can I go back to work?
It mostly depends on what your daily work entails. If you have an “office” job, most donors can go back to work in 2-4 weeks. If you have a job that involves physical work , 6-8 weeks is a common return to work date.
Can I have children?
Research shows donating a kidney does not affect your ability to get pregnant or father a child. Some studies have shown that there is a higher risk of pre-eclampsia and low birth weight in women who become pregnant after donation.
What is my financial responsibility?
The recipient’s insurance company covers all of the medial donor evaluation process, donor surgery and transplant related follow up. Lost wages from time off, travel costs, child care and living expenses for the donor are not reimbursed. If you anticipate you might have trouble covering your expenses while you are out of work, there are foundations that you can apply to for financial help. We can help you through this process.
Could I have trouble obtaining insurance after donating?
Kidney donors had very few problems obtaining medical or disability insurance, according to national studies of insurance providers. Only 4% had trouble getting life or health insurance. Less than 3% had difficulties getting disability insurance. If you have trouble with insurance issues, contact the PSL transplant team who will be glad to help you.
What if I change my mind about donating?
As potential donors go through the evaluation process, sometimes it becomes clear that living donation is not the right choice for a particular individual. Donor candidates can opt out of the process AT ANY TIME. This is kept strictly confidential from the recipient.
How will my life be different after donating a kidney?
Living donors can and do essentially all the same activities as they could prior to donation. Living an active lifestyle, such as running, biking, skiing, long work days, etc. all are usual daily activities for a living donor. Activities to avoid would include full contact football or karate, hockey, skiing between trees or anything that might lead to severe blunt trauma to the remaining kidney. Ultra-marathons, Ironman events or any activity that may lead to extreme dehydration should be avoided as well. NSAID medications should be avoided as well.
Click HERE for additional information.
IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER BEING JULES’ LIVING DONOR,
Please visit http://www.pslmc.com/signmeup to fill out a survey to start the evaluation process. Link will open One Medical Passport. Click green “Register button. Create your account. Continue. Choose Presbyterian/St. Luke’s as Medical Facility. Enter JULIA ARONSON as Named Recipient.
You may also call the PSL Transplant Center at (720) 754-2155 or (800) 758-1005, Option 3.