What to Expect When Becoming a Living Donor

Evaluation tests will be done in stages.

First, the potential living donor must call the living donor hotline at (309) 624-5433 and speak to a transplant team member. The team member will take some basic information and pass the referral on to a living donor coordinator.

Organ Donation AdvocateThe living donor coordinator will discuss the donation, answer your questions and send an information packet to you.

After reviewing the information, you will complete the enclosed donor questionnaire and detailed health history and return it to the transplant office in the provided envelope.

The questionnaire and any available medical records will be reviewed with the physicians and health care team for an evaluation process plan.

Your recipient must be approved for transplant by the transplant team before further testing. There may be several potential donors for one recipient, but only one donor will be evaluated at a time.

Your donor evaluation will also include being seen by the transplant health care team, including a surgeon and a nephrologist, living donor coordinator, social worker, financial coordinator, dietitian, pharmacist and independent living donor advocate.

是否接受捐献者由移植中心的医疗小组决定。

Testing

The testing you can expect during your evaluation process includes:

  • Blood work将会抽血确认你的血型和基本的筛查实验室检查你的肾脏功能，糖尿病筛查，和检查你的尿液异常。
  • 24-hour urine collectionto evaluate the function of your kidneys.
  • HLA tissue typing:this blood test checks the tissue match between the donor and the recipient. Your cells have six human leukocyte antigens (HLA): three from each parent. This is why family members are most likely to have matching antigens. A complete HLA match is not required as long as the blood type matches and other tests are negative.
  • Cross-match:this test involves mixing the donor and recipient blood sample to see if there is a reaction that would cause a potential rejection of the transplanted kidney. If no reaction occurs, the result is called a negative cross-match, and the transplant operation can proceed. If a reaction does occur, the result is called a positive cross-match, meaning that the risk of rejection of the kidney is too high. In this case, the donor and recipient may decide to explore a paired kidney exchange option or another donor may step forward and start the evaluation process.
  • Chest X-ray and EKGto evaluate your heart and lungs.
  • Blood tests to screen for possible transmissible diseases:这些检查可以确定捐献者是否曾经或接触过艾滋病毒/艾滋病、肝炎或其他疾病。出于公共卫生原因，一些阳性检测结果可能需要报告给当地、州或联邦卫生当局。
  • CT angiogram of kidneys- an X-ray test to evaluate the anatomy of the kidneys and blood vessels.
  • Cancer screening testing as age and risk-appropriatemay include a colonoscopy, mammogram, Pap smear, prostate exam, and skin cancer screening.
  • Any additional testing as needed

Independent Living Donor Advocate

Federal regulations require transplant programs to appoint an independent donor advocate to ensure safe evaluation and care of living donors.

An independent living donor advocate’s role in counseling potential living donors includes but is not limited to:

  • Identifying potential emotional risks to the donor.
  • Determining whether the donor can make the decision to donate and cope with the stress of major surgery.
  • Exploring the rationale for donation to be sure the donor is free of pressure or guilt.
  • Discussing how donation might impact the donor’s job or family relations.
  • Reviewing the nature of the relationship between donor and recipient

For more information on living donor assistance,visit the National Living Donor Assistance Center.

Donor Financial Information

Medical expenses associated with the living donor evaluation are covered by either the Transplant Centers Organ Acquisition Fund (OAH) or, in certain circumstances, the recipient's insurance. In either case, the living donor should not incur any expenses for the evaluation.

However, it’s important to remember that travel, lodging, and wage reimbursement are not covered by insurance. Basic health maintenance cancer screenings are the responsibility of the donor's insurance.

Some donors may qualify for assistance with wage reimbursement and/or travel expenses related to their kidney donation. Our social worker will discuss these programs with the potential living donor.

  • 确定恢复所需的支持系统。
  • 确保捐赠者了解并发症的风险，恢复阶段，捐赠的经济方面和承诺的术后随访护理。
  • Reinforcing that the transplant center will not discuss the donor evaluation with the recipient.