Making it Real
Kidney Donations
Why have members of Making it Real donated their kidneys to strangers?
Read an article written by a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School after researching Sue's motivation for offering her kidney to a stranger. Kidneys and the Kindness of Strangers.
Read (and watch) a brilliant article (and film) by a young journalist for Vox news called "Why I donated my kidney to a stranger - and why you should consider doing it to" published April 11,2017. This also explains paired donation and why altruistic donations can start a chain of transplants helping many more people.
A Short Film by GiveAKidney.org about people in the UK who have donated
their spare kidneys to complete strangers.
Why donate a kidney?
Patients with kidney failure have the option of dialysis or transplantation when both their kidneys fail. A kidney transplant can provide patients with freedom from regular dialysis, a better quality of life and longer life expectancy. Unfortunately, very few patients have someone who can give them a kidney, and on average most patients have to wait on dialysis years before a kidney becomes available on the national deceased donor transplant waiting list many die waiting.
Although the UK performs more than 2500 kidney transplantations a year, there are over 7000 people waiting for a kidney transplant, of whom 300 die each year. That's six people every week.
Despite the shortage of donors, we know that many people would be willing to donate a kidney if they knew the facts. One of the most misunderstood facts is that you can live a perfectly healthy and normal life with only one kidney as the other kidney enlarges a little to compensate for the missing one!
What's involved?
Medical and phycological assessments, time off work, talking about such a decision with family and friends, major surgery with pain, and recovery time and a one in 4000 chance of death. (That's about the same risk as child berth).
Is it legal?
Yes, provided there is no coercion or payment involved.
What are the risks?
Who can donate?
The operation, before, during and after?
Find out the answers to these questions
and loads more from the Give a Kidney website:
