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Be a living kidney donorKidney transplant has revolutionized the lives of people with kidney failure in the last 2 decades. Kidney donation from deceased donors has not matched the increase in patients waiting for organs. Many patients die from complications of kidney failure while waiting. Living kidney donation has revolutionized kidney transplantation and is now the most common type of transplant. While the first successful living kidney transplant was performed in 1954, the real benefits of living donation are only now being recognized:
Living donor kidney program | Paired live-donor kidney program | Altruistic or anonymous donation St. Luke's Laparoscopic Living Donor Kidney ProgramLaparoscopic (minimally invasive) techniques for removing a kidney from a donor have been perfected in the last 10 years, and are available to patients at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center. With minimally invasive surgery, there is a minimal amount of scarring, less pain after surgery and a faster recovery for the person giving the kidney. The operation typically takes 4-5 hours. The kidney is removed through a “bikini cut” incision that is well hidden. The typical hospital stay is 2-3 days after the operation. Some of our patients return to light work or caring for their children within a week of discharge, but we support tailoring the appropriate amount of time for you to achieve a full recovery. Costs of the evaluation and the operation Expenses from the entire evaluation and the operation for kidney donation are paid by the insurance of the person receiving the kidney. For expenses that are non-medical (e.g., lost income during the recovery period after the operation, travel expenses, etc.) the State of Wisconsin passed a bill that works to offset these donor expenses. Do I need to be related to the person who may receive the kidney? While it is commonly family members who offer to be kidney donors, there are often spouses, friends, members of the community, or people from the same place of worship who can be highly successful kidney donors. Being related is not a requirement to donate a kidney. How to begin the process We provide a confidential and thorough evaluation for any potential donor. We start by giving you information over the telephone and by obtaining a blood type to determine if you are a suitable candidate. Your safety and health are the most important priorities. You can find out more information about living kidney donation by calling our Transplant Nurse Coordinators at 414 646-2550. Click here if you are interested in the St. Luke's Program for Paired Live Donor Exchange or click here for the St. Luke's Program for Altruistic or Anonymous Kidney Donation. Your request for information or evaluation will remain confidential until you wish to reveal it to the person who may receive the kidney. St. Luke's Program for Paired Live-Donor Kidney ExchangeWhat happens if a person with kidney failure has a friend or family member who wishes to donate, and this person is an excellent candidate from all standpoints, but does not have a suitable blood type or blood tests to donate to that particular person? In the past, those unfortunate patients stayed on the long waiting list for a deceased donor kidney. We have many people in that position and are able to match the families to allow for successful transplantation. One healthy person from family “A” donates a kidney to the person with kidney failure in the other family “B,” and a healthy member of family “B” donates a kidney to the person with kidney failure in Family “A,” allowing both people with kidney failure to receive living donor kidneys and to have successful transplants. In other words, the patients with kidney failure are paired with another family to allow an appropriate kidney from a living donor to be exchanged so that both patients can be transplanted. Do I need to meet the person who receives the kidney? No. We maintain your privacy and confidentiality throughout the process. If you wish to meet the person who has received your kidney, a meeting can be arranged through the transplant program. It is the donor's decision whether to meet and how that meeting occurs. How to begin the process We provide a confidential and thorough evaluation for any potential donor. We start by giving you information over the telephone and by obtaining a blood type to determine if you are a suitable candidate. You can find out more information about paired donor live kidney exchange by calling our Transplant Nurse Coordinators at 414 646-2550. Your request for information or evaluation will remain confidential until you wish to reveal it to the friend or family member who may receive the kidney from this program. Your safety and health are the most important priorities. St. Luke's Program for Altruistic or Anonymous Kidney DonationWe welcome people who wish to be a living kidney donor to any person on the kidney transplant waiting list, simply out of charitable reasons. We have performed successful transplants in this setting, while maintaining full confidentiality for the person donating. All of our donations are performed using minimally invasive surgery to reduce the amount of pain and to allow you to go back to work and your life as soon as possible. Costs of the evaluation and the operation Expenses from the entire evaluation and the operation for kidney donation are paid by the insurance of the person receiving the kidney. For expenses that are non-medical (e.g., lost income during the recovery period after the operation, travel expenses, etc.) the State of Wisconsin passed a bill that works to offset these donor expenses. Do I need to meet the person who receives the kidney? No. We maintain your privacy and confidentiality throughout the process. If you wish to meet the person who has received your kidney, a meeting can be arranged through the transplant program. It is the donor's decision whether to meet and how that meeting occurs. How to begin the process We provide a confidential and thorough evaluation for any potential donor. We start by giving you information by telephone and obtaining a blood type to determine if you are a suitable candidate. You can find out more information about confidential, anonymous living kidney donation by calling our Transplant Nurse Coordinators at 414 646-2550. Your request for information or evaluation will remain confidential until you wish to reveal it. Your safety and health are the most important priorities.
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