There are many ways in which you can donate a kidney and help to save someone’s life. With roughly 1,300 people waiting for a kidney transplant at any one time, and a median wait time of 2.5 years, your donation can make a significant impact.
Australia currently has an incredibly high success rate for organ transplants. 9 out of 10 people receiving a kidney transplant survive at least 5 years after the transplant.
An introduction to kidney donation by living donors booklet.
A kidney transplant is a treatment for kidney failure where a working kidney is donated to someone who is ill. A living organ donor gives one of their kidneys to someone who is sick with kidney failure (the recipient).
A kidney can be donated by living friends and family members of the recipient. Kidney donations also come from deceased donors, or people who die with organs that are suitable for transplantation.
Anyone can register as a donor, including elderly people and those with chronic conditions. Only a few medical conditions prevent organ donation, and each case is assessed individually at the time.
Kidney donation is possible because people can live with one kidney. After one kidney is removed, your remaining kidney grows larger and heavier. Your remaining kidney can provide up to 75 per cent of normal kidney function, rather than the 50 per cent you might expect.
Living kidney donors are unlikely to develop kidney problems in the future. However, there is a small risk of increased blood pressure and protein in your urine as you grow older. The good news is that kidney donors have normal life spans, donating a kidney can enhance your life
Deceased donations
You can choose to donate your organs and tissues after death. In this case, you won’t get to choose the transplant recipient. To do so, you’ll need to register on the Australian Organ Donor Register through Medicare, even if you’ve already ticked ‘yes’ to organ donation on your driver’s licence. Go to Australian Organ Donor Register to sign up as a registered tissue and organ donor.
It’s important to also discuss this decision with your family, so that they know your wishes after you pass away.
Live donations
In Australia, you can also donate a kidney while you’re alive, as long as you’re over the age of 18 and meet the criteria for a donor. You can choose to donate to:
Paired donations
Another form of living donation is referred to as a ‘paired exchange’.
This is when there are potential kidney donor/recipient pairs whose blood types are incompatible. The two recipients trade donors so that each recipient can receive a kidney from a better match.
People willing to join the Australian and New Zealand Paired Kidney Exchange Program (ANZKX) should discuss this with their kidney specialist
Not everyone is able to be a living kidney donor. Donors should have normal kidney function, be generally healthy, and be emotionally ready to donate. Conditions that may prevent you from being a donor include:
Your doctor will assess your health and mental wellbeing to determine if you are a suitable candidate for live kidney donation. You’ll have blood tests to check if you are a good match to the recipient of the kidney.
Once you are cleared to donate, you and your recipient will be scheduled for surgery. During surgery, the team will cut a small incision into your abdomen (stomach) to remove your kidney. The kidney will then be transplanted and connected to the recipient.
Because kidney donation involves a major surgery, you’ll want to discuss the risks with your doctor. Some complications include bleeding, infections, blood clots, and very rarely, death. After surgery, you will need about six weeks to recover.
Deciding to be a kidney donor is one of the most selfless things you can do. Help is available, especially if you worry about work or finances during your recovery. Check out the Supporting Living Organ Donors Program for more information on paid leave during donation.
