You are the only person who can decide whether living donation is right for you. No one can make the decision to donate for you and no one should pressure you.

To be a living donor, you must: 

•  Be an adult (over age 18) able to make an informed decision

•  Be in good physical and mental health

•  Understand the risks and benefits of living donation

•  Decide for yourself whether living donation is right for you

Living Donor Evaluation contains several parts after completing the initial paperwork: 

• Psychosocial Evaluation- to discuss reasons for wanting to be a donor and if you have the support in place to handle emotional, financial and physical stress of surgery 

• Independent living donor advocate- to discuss decision making, voluntariness and understanding of donation 

• Blood tests- gives information about your health and whether you are medically compatible with a transplant recipient 

• Heart and lung tests- make sure your heart and lungs are healthy enough for you to be a donor 

• Tests of the organ to be donated- to be sure your organ is healthy enough to donate and safe for you to donate 

• Routine Health tests- again, ensuring you are healthy enough to be a donor 

The challenge of stage 5 chronic kidney disease brings new hurdles (like dialysis) and opportunities to do good (like putting a face and name to the need for live donors). 

I want to reach out to people not just about my Kidney Journey, but for anyone else on the same journey Even if you're not a match for me, you or someone you share this with could match with someone else in need, just like me. Filling out the paperwork and being evaluated are the first steps.

  Sincerely, Sam