04/12/2023
The 4-1-1 of Living Donors
In 2022, there were 5,863 living donor kidney transplants comprising approximately 23% of kidney transplants in the U.S. In addition, there were 603 living donor liver transplants comprising approximately 6% of liver transplants in the U.S. By increasing the number of living organ donors, the transplant wait list has the potential to be eliminated, ensuring that no one dies while waiting for the availability of a deceased organ.
The most common type of living donation is kidney donation, where a donor donates one of their kidneys to a recipient. The second most common is liver donation, where a donor donates a portion of their liver to a recipient.
A major area of opportunity with living organ donation awareness is to educate the general public on the magical capability of the human liver. A significant amount of people in the U.S. are unaware that the liver is the only human organ that can regenerate. Not only does it regenerate in the donor to full size, but it also regenerates to full size in the recipient. Proof that combining the innate capabilities of the human body with innovative ideas from the human mind can result in modern medical miracles.
For most living donors, the cost of testing, transplant surgery and follow-up care is covered by the recipient’s health care insurance.
WAYS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL LIVING DONOR DAY
Visit with your physician to begin the steps to becoming a living donor.
Support organizations that help find matches for those on the national donor list.
Help out a family who is recovering from a donor surgery.
Hold a fundraiser to alleviate costs for a living donor or recipient of a donor surgery.
Learn about the different types of organs and tissue a living donor can give.
Honor and support the transplant medical professionals and health systems that make living organ donation possible.
Share your story about becoming a living donor or receiving an organ donation on social media using .