One third of the kidney transplants performed each year at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Transplant Center are from living donors. Often these donors are family members, but a growing number are friends or co-workers. There are also people who choose to donate a kidney without having a specific person in mind. Whether you have a recipient in mind or not, the decision to donate a kidney is a personal decision that is truly extraordinary.

For people with end-stage kidney disease there are only three options for treatment:

1. Kidney transplant from a living donor (shortest wait time with best outcomes)
2. Kidney transplant from a deceased donor (wait time could be years)
3. Dialysis (not a cure, exhaustive and time-consuming)

Know the Facts of Living Kidney Donation

• Donors can be between 18–75 years old
• Donors must be in good overall physical and mental health - gender and race are not factors
• Donors can't have uncontrolled high blood pressure or undergoing treatment for diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis or organ disease
• Donors don't have to know their recipient and can donate anonymously
• Hospital stay is generally two days and return to normal activity after four to six weeks
• Recipient insurance covers medical expenses of donation and follow-up care (assistance programs are available to cover additional expenses like travel for donation)
• Living with one kidney doesn't put donors at excess risk of dying prematurely, versus living with two kidneys
• All major religions in the United States support organ donation

The decision to become a living donor is a voluntary one, and you may change your mind at any time during the process with your reasons kept confidential.

To request more information about living kidney donation from our team of experts, complete the form above.

If you're ready to take the next stop now, CLICK HERE to begin the process by taking the donor health history questionnaire.

Why Choose Ohio State for Living Kidney Donation?

• #7 transplant program, by volume, in the United States in 2021
• Nearly 12,000 solid organ transplants since 1967 ─ a milestone achieved by less than 10% of all U.S. transplant centers
• 601 organ transplants performed in 2021, of which 330 were kidneys (76 from living donors)
• Recognized as one of America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report for the 30th year in a row