What Are the Qualifications to Become a Living Kidney Donor?

If you are considering becoming a living kidney donor, there are certain qualifications you must meet. To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old and have a body mass index (BMI) lower than 35.Additionally, you must not have any history of cancer, diabetes, or chronic kidney stones. Furthermore, you must be a compatible blood group with the recipient. At Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, our specialists can help you understand the requirements for a kidney transplant from a living donor.

If the donor and recipient are not compatible due to blood type, they may still be eligible for a partner exchange transplant. This is when two couples of patients who are not compatible with each other's blood type exchange kidneys. Your parents, adult children, siblings, other family members, in-laws and close friends may all be considered for live kidney donation. A standard set of selection criteria is used to determine if it is safe or appropriate for a person to be a living kidney donor.

The vast majority of donors who are allowed to donate will quickly recover normal or nearly normal kidney function. The paired kidney donation program is offered to patients who have donors who do not match their blood group or who cannot accept a kidney from a donor because there is a high chance that they will reject the kidney. Through this program, potential donors who don't have the same blood type can still donate a kidney. Having a living donor significantly reduces the waiting time for a kidney transplant compared to waiting for an organ from a deceased donor.

The Transplant Center at Massachusetts General Hospital has one of the most active and experienced living kidney and liver donor programs in the region. In addition to the possibility of receiving a transplant sooner, living donors also provide a kidney that will last much longer than one from a deceased donor. So if you're waiting for a kidney, having a living donor can make all the difference. Even if the donor and recipient aren't compatible for any reason, the living donor can still donate their kidney on behalf of their loved one in need through the National Kidney Registry (NKR) peer exchange program.