Donating Life

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, this extra kidney is weighing me down?” Well, I am here to provide you with some information that could alleviate that problem.

According to the National Kidney Foundation website, there are 123,000 Americans on a waitlist for an organ transplant. Of those waiting, over 101,000 of those people are in need of a kidney, but only about 17,000 people per year get the lifesaving transplant they need. Everyday there are 12 people who die waiting for a kidney.

There are two types of transplants--from a deceased donor and from a living donor. While both types are lifesaving, the living donor has some benefits. A few of the benefits are:

• A kidney from a living donor typically functions sooner and lasts longer
• The recipient usually has to take less anti-rejection medication after transplantation
• The surgery can be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time for the donor and recipient. When the kidney comes from a deceased donor, it comes unexpectedly and the surgery has to be done quickly as an emergency procedure.
• The transplant can happen more quickly rather than spending years on the transplant waitlist

However, given the option of no kidney or a deceased kidney donor, a cadaver kidney is the way to go. It is still lifesaving for someone who needs a kidney. And when receiving a kidney from a deceased donor, it is a gift from a family who has made this generous decision while going through the pain of losing a loved one.

I am just beginning the process to see if I’m a transplant candidate. I don’t know of any reason I wouldn’t be a candidate, so I’m hoping once all the appointments and tests are done, I will find out that I am suitable for being a kidney recipient and will go on the transplant list. My goal, however, is to have a living donor, so I’m hoping I will have someone who is able and willing to donate to me.

The first area to determining a match is to be the correct blood type. The donor and recipient need to be the same blood type. My blood type is A+, so I need a donor with blood type A. I can also accept from type O, which is the universal donor. If the potential donor passes the initial screening and medical review, medical staff will then cross match the blood to see if the recipient’s immune system will accept the donor’s DNA. If there is no reaction (a negative cross match), then the recipient should be able to accept the donor’s kidney. If there is a reaction (a positive cross match), then the recipient’s immune system has killed off the donor’s blood cells, which would mean the body would do the same thing to a transplanted kidney; therefore, no transplant could be done.

Deciding to be a living donor is a major decision. You have to be willing to go through lots of pre-testing, meetings with various members of the transplant team, and if you are deemed an appropriate candidate, you must decide if you want to go through with the actual surgery. You are choosing to give up an organ. It’s not like letting someone borrow a dollar to buy a Pepsi. It is taking out a body part and giving it to another person. Along with surgery comes the recovery period, which likely means discomfort, as well as missing time at work. Then there are the follow-up appointments. It’s a big decision and it must be the right decision for the you as the donor and your family.

In my other blog, I wrote about my friend Patty who did donate a kidney to someone. If anyone is interested in the donor process, she is always willing to share her story so people understand the process better. The Living Kidney Donor Handbook on the Maine Transplant Program website has lots of information about the process as well. In addition, on that same website is a Living Donor Online Questionnaire that starts the process for someone who is considering becoming a donor. The medical staff at Maine Transplant will review that information and determine if the person has the potential to be an eligible donor. From there that person will either be ruled out or asked to provide further medical information.

I am fortunate that some people have reached out and asked about donating to me. One person contacted me after my first blog post to say she’d be willing to look into it because she only needed one kidney. While we weren’t a compatible blood type, I was very appreciative of her offer. One other person said that she’d be willing to offer, but due to a genetic condition within her family, she isn’t able to donate. I’ve had three people complete the online questionnaire. One person was declined, but again, very thankful that he even considered. The other two people have been asked to submit more medical information to be reviewed further. Just last night I was chatting with someone and I learned that he has the same blood type as me. He said if needed, he would be willing to see if he was able to donate. I am very grateful for these people and I hope I am able to find someone who is a match.

So, if you would like to consider donating a kidney, there are thousands of people waiting for one. You can request to donate to a particular person, but if you’re not a match for them, you can still choose to be a donor to a person who is compatible with you. Maine Transplant is also part of the kidney exchange program, which is also explained in the handbook. Donate a kidney and save a life!