How it Works
Where to Call
Interested kidney donors should contact the Living Kidney Donor Coordinator at 860‑972‑4219
What You Need to Know About Living Kidney Donation?
Important to Know
- Donor Safety is number one priority.
- Donor information will be completely protected,
- Donors can change their minds at any point in the process and will be supported by the transplant team.
Kidney Paired Exchange
If a donor is not compatible with their recipient they will be given information about several paired kidney donation programs. These programs use computer databases to match pairs that are incompatible or difficult to match.
Sometimes this computer database results in a simple two-way swap, sometimes this can be a long chain. A donor would never be asked to give their kidney without another kidney being available for their recipient.
Risks of Living Kidney Donation
The risks of donation are similar to those involved with any major surgery, such as bleeding and infection. Kidney failure or death resulting from kidney donation is extremely rare.
Long term, living with one kidney should not affect your health. Donors are encouraged to follow a healthy lifestyle. Life expectancy is not affected by donation.
Recovery from Kidney Donation
Living kidney donors are typically in the hospital 2-3 days. Full recovery can take 6-8 weeks. Donation should not have any lasting physical effects.
What is the Process?
Interested kidney donors should contact the Living Kidney Donor Coordinator at
860-972-4219
Hartford Hospital will send you a packet that includes more information regarding donation as well as forms to be returned to Hartford Hospital Transplant Program. Then the evaluation process will begin. This is a detailed evaluation that is individualized to each donor’s needs but typically follows the following format:
- Telephone conference for education and initial screening
- Blood work for compatibility testing
- Blood work for general health status
- Urine collection to measure kidney function
- Evaluation by the complete transplant donor team
- CT scan of kidneys
Questions?
Feel free to contact the Hartford Hospital Transplant Program. You can speak directly with our Living Donor Team at
860-696-2021
What You Need to Know About Living Kidney Donation?
Important to Know
- Donor Safety is number one priority.
- Donor information will be completely protected,
- Donors can change their minds at any point in the process and will be supported by the transplant team.
Kidney Paired Exchange
If a donor is not compatible with their recipient they will be given information about several paired kidney donation programs. These programs use computer databases to match pairs that are incompatible or difficult to match.
Sometimes this computer database results in a simple two-way swap, sometimes this can be a long chain. A donor would never be asked to give their kidney without another kidney being available for their recipient.
Risks of Living Kidney Donation
The risks of donation are similar to those involved with any major surgery, such as bleeding and infection. Kidney failure or death resulting from kidney donation is extremely rare.
Long term, living with one kidney should not affect your health. Donors are encouraged to follow a healthy lifestyle. Life expectancy is not affected by donation.
Recovery from Kidney Donation
Living kidney donors are typically in the hospital 2-3 days. Full recovery can take 6-8 weeks. Donation should not have any lasting physical effects.
What is the Process?
Interested kidney donors should contact the Living Kidney Donor Coordinator at
860-972-4219
Hartford Hospital will send you a packet that includes more information regarding donation as well as forms to be returned to Hartford Hospital Transplant Program. Then the evaluation process will begin. This is a detailed evaluation that is individualized to each donor’s needs but typically follows the following format:
- Telephone conference for education and initial screening
- Blood work for compatibility testing
- Blood work for general health status
- Urine collection to measure kidney function
- Evaluation by the complete transplant donor team
- CT scan of kidneys
Questions?
Feel free to contact the Hartford Hospital Transplant Program. You can speak directly with our Living Donor Team at
860-696-2021
Where to Call
Interested kidney donors should contact the Living Kidney Donor Coordinator at 860‑972‑4219
Ways to Donate
Direct Kidney Donation
What? The donor is a good match with their intended recipient and donates directly to them.
Who? It’s not unusual for a good match to come from a coworker, neighbor, or even total stranger.
When? The kidney is donated the same day it is transplanted into the recipient.
Why? The emotional connection between donors and their recipient, timing and the ease of moving the kidney from the donor to the recipient lead to many direct donation.
Paired Kidney Exhange
What? The donor does not match their recipient. The donor donates to someone else and their recipient gets a kidney from a stranger. This exchange can happen between two pairs of donors and recipients, or consists of a long chain of many donors and recipients.
Who? Donors who are healthy enough to donate a kidney but do not match their recipient.
When? Timing is based on when each donor and recipient are ready, as well as when a good match is found.
Why? If the donor and recipient have different blood types, or the recipient has sensitivity issues or other reasons why they are not a good match with their recipient, the donor can still donate and the recipient can still get a kidney.
How? Alternate: The donor and recipient are listed with the National Kidney Registry and/or UNOS KPD. When a match is found, Hartford Hospital Transplant Program will determine if it is a good kidney for that recipient. If it is, the surgery dates are set. If it isn’t, the donor and recipient stay listed for future matching.
Compatible Share
What? The donor’s blood type and tissue typing matches the recipient, but a different donor might provide a much better match.
Who? Donors and recipients who want a better match due to age, size or anatomy, or donors who want to help more people by starting a kidney exchange.
When? Timing is based on finding a better match, and when each donor and recipient is ready. Compatible pairs are usually matched very quickly.
Why? When donated kidneys are well-matched to the recipient, they last longer and cause fewer problems.
How? The donor and recipient are listed with the National Kidney Registry and/or UNOS KPD. The Hartford Transplant Program decides what types of donor kidneys they will accept for each recipient. When a match is found, Hartford will determine if it’s a good kidney for that recipient. If it is, the surgery dates are set but if it isn’t, the donor and recipient stay listed for future matching.
Advanced Donation - The Voucher Program
What? The donor donates their kidney to someone in need and their intended recipient gets a kidney when they need one.
Who? Donors who wish to secure a kidney for their intended recipient, when the recipient needs a kidney transplant. These donors create a ‘bank’ of kidneys for individuals who may need a transplant later.
When? The donation happens when the donor is ready. The recipient gets a kidney when they need one in the future.
Why? The donor is ready to donate and the recipient does not need a transplant now but will likely need one in the future; or the recipient is receiving a kidney from someone else now but will likely need another transplant in the future. Donors may also wish to start a kidney exchange now, or may be too old to donate later, when their recipient needs a transplant.
How? These donors are listed with the National Kidney Registry. Each Advanced Donor may list up to five people to hold vouchers; however once one voucher is redeemed the remaining vouchers are null and void.
Advanced Donation - Short Term
What? The donor donates their kidney to someone in need and their intended recipient gets a kidney when they need one.
Who? Donors and recipients whose timeline for donating and receiving the kidney does not match are sometimes called “time incompatible.” Donor and intended recipient may be a direct match or incompatible on other factors as well.
When? The donation happens when the donor is ready. The recipient gets a kidney when they are ready. They will be prioritized for the next well-matched kidney.
Why? The donor is ready to donate but only has a window of time when they can donate (examples include teachers, seasonal workers) or live events that must be avoided (weddings, travel) but the recipient cannot be transplanted at that time (health issues, other reasons). It is also an option if support is an issue (spouse donating with no other family or friends available to help support the pair).
How? These donors are listed with the National Kidney Registry to donate during their available window of time, initiating a kidney exchange. The recipient is also listed with the National Kidney Registry, but is inactive on the list until they are ready to be transplanted. They will be prioritized for the next well-matched kidney.
Remote Donation
What? The donor donates their kidney at a different transplant center than their recipient.
Who? Donors and recipients who do not live in the same area. They may be any of the previously listed pair types.
Where? Donors and recipients will each be at the center nearest them.
When? If a direct match, the donation will be sent directly to the recipient and will be transplanted immediately. If the pair is Paired Exchange, Compatible Share, or Advanced Donation the timing would follow those.
Why? The donor is unable to travel to their recipient. Donors who do not live near their recipient may prefer to have their surgery at a center close to home.
How? These donors are referred to the transplant center of their choice that participates with the National Kidney Registry Remote Donor Network. They will then be evaluated by that transplant center. The surgeries and logistics are completed utilizing the National Kidney Registry’s very successful and secure courier service.
Non-directed Donation
What? Commonly known as Altruistic Donation or Good Samaritan donation.
Who? The donor does not know any recipient in need of a transplant but wants to donate to a stranger.
When? Surgery is scheduled at a time that is convenient for the donor.
Why? Some people have been inspired by stories of organ donation or their past experiences and decide to donate to a stranger.
How? These donors are given all options for donation. They may donate directly to the Hartford Hospital waitlist, or choose to enter into a paired exchange program. If entering the National Kidney Registry, they will be given the option to name up to five persons to hold a voucher. Those people do not need to have any kidney disease. Once voucher is redeemed, any remaining vouchers are null and void.
Assistance for Donors
Living Organ Donors can get help to pay for travel expenses, lost wages and dependent care
The National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) can pay for up to $6,000 of certain expenses for living organ donors and their caregivers on their trips to the transplant center for evaluation, surgery, and medical follow-up visits. This program helps living organ donors pay for:
- Travel expenses — transportation, food, and lodging
- Lost wages— money a living donor would have earned from their job if they hadn’t missed work during the donation process
- Dependent care — money a living donor spends on care for children, a disabled adult, or elderly person because of their donation process
How Does it Work?
For travel expenses, an approved donor:
- Gets a credit card from NLDAC
- Calls NLDAC to make a budget before each trip
- Swipes their card to pay for travel expenses
For lost wages and dependent care, NLDAC pays a donor back by direct deposit to their bank account or by check. The donor may owe income taxes on the money they get for lost wages and dependent care.
NLDAC cannot pay for expenses covered by the recipient’s insurance or a state program.
Who Qualifies?
Only the living donor can qualify for this program. To qualify, the donor and the recipient must both:
- Be U.S. citizens or lawfully present residents
- Live in the U.S. or its territories
Donors who live near the transplant center can apply. There are no mileage requirements.
How to Apply
Visit LivingDonorAssistance.org
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