Donating a kidney is an act of great kindness that can have a lasting impact on someone's life. Potential donors should carefully weigh the potential risks and benefits of donating a kidney before making a decision. People who are considering becoming a kidney donor should know that they can live a normal life with just one kidney, and that the single normal kidney will increase in size to compensate for the loss of the donated kidney. Donors reported that their quality of life was “excellent”, and studies have shown that living donors live as long as people who never donated.
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive and oldest organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease. Potential donors should meet with a psychologist and an independent living donor advocate to ensure that they are mentally and emotionally prepared to donate one of their kidneys. People who are considering becoming a kidney donor should also be aware of the financial implications of donating a kidney. Medicare or the kidney beneficiary's private insurance will cover the medical costs of testing and surgery for both the donor and the recipient of the kidney.
Kidney donors tend to be healthier than the average person, are able to tolerate surgery well and return to a healthy lifestyle. Potential donors are screened for high blood pressure and diabetes, two of the leading causes of kidney disease. As long as the donor is thoroughly evaluated and the donation is authorized, you can lead a normal life after surgery. If you have two healthy kidneys, you may be able to donate one of your kidneys to improve or save someone else's life.
Being a living kidney donor can be very rewarding. It can help a loved one recover their health, give a friend a chance to stop dialysis, or even save the life of a stranger. If you're a person with kidney disease and you're trying to decide if a transplant is right for you, you may be wondering how it could affect your life. Knowing that you're helping someone makes you feel good.
Many donors say they feel better about themselves after donating, and most say that if they could do it again, they would still choose to donate their kidney.As a kidney donor, the risk of having kidney failure later in life is no higher than that of a person in the general population of similar age, sex, or race. Living donation doesn't change life expectancy and doesn't seem to increase the risk of kidney failure. If you are healthy and your antibodies and blood group match well with those of the person receiving the kidney, you may be approved to donate the kidney. If you're healthy, donating a kidney won't increase your chances of getting sick or having serious health problems.Sometimes, donating a kidney can affect a donor's ability to obtain or pay disability or life insurance.
There have been some cases where living donors needed a kidney later on, not necessarily because of the donation itself. The biggest expense for kidney recipients after a transplant is the medications they must take while the kidney lasts to prevent the body from rejecting it.If you want to donate your kidney to a friend or family member, talk to the doctor at the transplant center. You'll start testing to see if you're compatible. Donating can be selfless and rewarding, but potential donors should carefully consider all aspects before making their decision.
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