
Ohio State Wexner sets record-breaking kidney 'donation chain,' transforming 10 lives
Most people are born with two healthy kidneys and can safely donate one while continuing to live a healthy life. Donating a kidney – becoming a living donor – is a selfless act that can improve or save the life of a person with advanced or end-stage kidney disease.
For these sick individuals, there are only three treatment options:
With dialysis, a machine is used to artificially clean the blood, doing the work of a healthy kidney. It’s time-consuming and exhausting, as frequent as three times a week for up to four hours each session. While a patient can remain on dialysis for many years, it’s not a cure for kidney disease. In fact, ten percent of patients on dialysis die each year while waiting for a kidney transplant. For some groups, such as elderly patients and patients with diabetes, there is an even greater risk of dying.
A kidney transplant is the preferred treatment option for patients with end-stage kidney disease. But the demand for kidneys from deceased donors is greater than the number available – which means patients can wait years for a kidney transplant, often growing weaker while waiting.
The best and fastest option for a patient in need of a kidney transplant is to receive a kidney from a living donor.
There is an enormous physical and emotional toll of living with end-stage kidney disease, not to mention the exhaustion of dialysis treatment.
So it is not a surprise that finding a living donor can be overwhelming. In fact, the conversation is so difficult more than half of all people in need of a kidney transplant do not even ask one person to donate!
Take this burden off your loved one and spread the word for them to help identify potential living donors.
About a third of the transplants performed at Ohio State are performed with kidneys from living donors. Often living 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 recipient in mind. These extraordinary people are called non-directed or altruistic donors.
The decision to become a living donor is a voluntary one, and the donor may change his or her mind at any time during the process. The donor’s decision and reasons are kept confidential.
Living kidney donor qualifications:
Start the assessment process to be a living kidney donor by completing the online health history questionnaire.
Once completed, your information will be reviewed by our team. If you're a potential candidate, one of our living donor team members will contact you directly.
If you have questions at any time, please email an Ohio State living donor team member at: livingdonor@osumc.edu or call 614-293-6724, option 3.
To be a Donor Champion, you will first need the approval of your loved to publicly share their need for a kidney transplant with others. You will also need to be willing to: