You’ve likely heard about the life-changing benefits of kidney donation for recipients. And the need has never been greater – COVID-19-related complications add to the already increasing number of individuals with kidney damage. Organ donation quite literally gives kidney patients a new lease on life.
But there are lots of benefits for kidney donors, too. Here are a few things you can get when you give.
At the Nephrology Associates of Greater Cincinnati, we’ve seen firsthand how organ donation transforms the lives of our end stage renal disease patients. Kidney transplant patients are living longer and leading healthier lives than those on dialysis. Some are even able to return to the lifestyle they led before renal failure, with a few adjustments.
For National Donate Life month this April, we’re celebrating the generous organ donors who have improved so many kidney patients’ quality of life and encouraging others to learn more about donation. Here are a few things you might not have known about kidney donation.
As a loved one to someone with chronic kidney disease, you may feel inspired to consider kidney donation. This type of donation is called living organ donation. CKD patients who receive a living kidney transplant tend to live longer and healthier lives than those on dialysis. There are benefits for the donor, too. You may feel good about significantly improving another person’s life, and even learn more about your own health through the donor assessment process.
Once you have decided to pursue kidney transplant under the guidance of your nephrologist, there are several steps to take before you can be considered a candidate for transplant.
At the Nephrology Associates of Greater Cincinnati, we are able to refer you to a local transplant center. There are two kidney transplant centers in the greater Cincinnati area: the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and the Christ Hospital Health Network.
