Living Donation
Who is a transplant living donor?
A living donor is generally a person in good overall physical and mental health who gives part of their liver or one of their kidneys to someone who needs them. When someone gets a new liver or kidney this way, it means they don’t have to wait for a deceased organ donor.
Living donor kidney transplantation is a surgical procedure that removes one healthy kidney from a donor and places it in another person who suffers from kidney disease or failure. One transplanted kidney can perform the work of two failed kidneys.
Living donor liver transplantation is a surgical procedure that removes part of a healthy liver from a donor and places it in another person who suffers from liver disease or failure. A small piece of an adult liver can be donated to infants and children. The donated liver will grow with the child as they grow. The liver in the donor will then regrow, most growth occurring within a few weeks after surgery.
There are three main types of kidney and liver transplant donors:
- Living-related donor-a living family member
- Living-unrelated donor -a friend, member of the community, or an altruistic donor
- Deceased donors -a recently deceased person who wanted to be an organ donor
Luna, with her living-unrelated donor Amber, and kidney transplant physicians.
Why become a living donor?
- There are not enough deceased donor organs for those in need. A donation from a living donor can significantly shorten the amount of time a recipient must wait to receive a transplant.
- With living donor transplants, surgery is scheduled in advance, at the donor and recipient’s convenience.
- A living donor can expect a near normal, healthy life.
Benefits of Living-Donor Transplantation
A kidney or liver transplant from a living donor is preferred for transplantation as it offers a few advantages:
- Shorter wait time to transplant
- Lower chance of organ rejection
- Improved short-and long-term outcomes
- In the case of kidney transplant, identifying a living donor may also reduce the need for dialysis or decrease time on dialysis
- A scheduled surgery to help plan for other life essentials
Kidney Paired Donation Program
It is not uncommon for a friend or family member to offer to donate a kidney but then discover that they are not a suitable match for the child. In situations like these, we utilize a Kidney Paired Donation program to match compatible pairs.
Considering being a Living-Donor?
If you, a friend or a family member, are interested in becoming a living donor, please reach out to our teams to help begin the process. Children’s Hospital of Michigan partners with Henry Ford Health for living kidney and living liver donor care. Individuals can learn more about living donation and complete an intake form through Henry Ford’s Center for Living Donation.