What is Living Donation
Although most organ donations take place after the donor has died, some organs and tissues can be donated from living donors. With the transplant waiting list increasing and the shortage of organs for transplant available, patients in dire need of a life saving procedure can be aided through living donation. Living donation allows more patients to be moved off of the waiting list, thus increasing the existing organ supply.
As a result of the growing need for donors, living donation has increased as an alternative to deceased donation, and more than 6,000 living donations take place each year. Family members, friends, and even anonymous individuals can become living donors if they meet the requirements to donate. A patient on the kidney waiting list waits an average of 5 years. More than 20% of both liver and lung transplant candidates have been waiting for more than 5 years.
Becoming A Living Donor
Not everyone is healthy enough to be eligible to become a living donor. Since the health and safety of our living donors becomes the top priority when performing a living donor transplant of any kind, acceptable candidates must be in top physical and emotional condition before going into the surgery.