How Do You Be A Kidney Donor?
In 1998, 12,166 kidney transplants were performed, and of that amount, 4,153 were from living donors. You can donate a kidney to someone with end-stage renal disease even if you’re not related by blood. Doing so won’t benefit you in a medical sense, but your gift will make you a hero to your recipient. Step 1 Consider donating a kidney if you’re the parent, sibling, adult child or an extended family member of the loved one in need. Step 2 Know that if you’re not related by blood but are emotionally attached to someone who needs a kidney, excellent donor-recipient matches can still be made with adopted family members, spouses or life-long friends. Step 3 Evaluate your health status. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems or AIDS, or if you are (or have been) an alcoholic and/or drug addict, you’ll probably be ineligible. Step 4 Volunteer to have a blood test. You don’t necessarily have to have the same blood type as your recipient, but you do need to have a compatibl
