Linking Donors To Save Lives

Today I caught notice of a local newspaper article about donors linking together to save lives. Intriqued, I read the article and was quite amazed. It was about a local man who needed a kidney transplant and his sister was more than willing to donate her kidney but she turned out to not be a good match. So, they entered into this kidney chain.

This pay-it-forward kidney donation chain works to match living donors with those in need of a kidney transplant. Rising rates of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and longer lives has resulted in more kidney disease, making it the most-needed organ for transplant.

Photo Source: United Network for Organ Sharing
Theorectically, these chains could go on forever, but typically include a half-dozen pairs. Some chains end when the last willing donor has type AB blood. Participating in a donor chain provides many more chances...as long as you have a healthy friend/family member willing to share their kidney.

The national waiting list, in 2009, showed 16,831 kidneys were transplanted nationwide, 62 percent from deceased donors and 38 percent from living donors. Living donors must pass alot of tests but their kidneys transplant better than cadaveric kidneys.

What about the living donor? Live donors can live fine with just one kidney. If illness or injury does hurt a living donor's remaining kidney, they then move to the top of the list of people needing a kidney tranplant (a guideline set by the United Network for Organ Sharing). The surgery is minimally invasive with tiny incisions made in the lower abdomen wall, resulting in a much less needed hospital stay.

For more information:
United Network for Organ Sharing
www.transplantliving.org/livingdonation

Alliance for Paired Donation
www.paireddonation.org

National Kidney Registry
www.kidneyregistry.org