Our transplant team will be happy to arrange for you to meet with people who have donated a kidney. When a patient loses 90 to 95 percent of his or her kidney function, life-saving treatment becomes necessary. We sometimes perform kidney transplants on patients with 10 to 15 percent remaining kidney function. This avoids the need for dialysis and the surgery that a patient needs in order to undergo dialysis. Patients and family members should discuss the benefits and disadvantages of each treatment with their doctors.
Some people make the decision instantly with few worries or concerns.
Others go through some soul-searching before deciding. It is quite normal to be afraid of giving a kidney and to experience guilt about not wanting to be a donor. The donor and the kidney recipient need to have compatible blood types, and the donor must be willing and healthy. It is very important that potential donors understand exactly what the procedure involves, including testing, surgery, recovery period and possible risks. A psychological evaluation of a potential donor may also be conducted.