AHN Living Kidney Donor Program

Living kidney donation allows someone who is healthy to donate one of their kidneys to someone who needs a kidney transplant.

Living donor kidney transplant offers the recipient several advantages over deceased donor kidney transplant, including:

Healthier organs. Living donors are thoroughly screened and their kidneys are in excellent condition and last longer than those from deceased donors.
Shorter wait times. Having a living kidney donor means recipients can receive a transplant sooner before their condition gets worse.
Better timing. With living kidney donation, the transplant surgery can be planned for a time and date that is convenient for both parties and when the recipient is in good health.

Program highlights

Our living kidney donor specialists are committed to your health and safety. They offer medical expertise with compassion that prioritizes your physical, mental, and emotional health throughout the donor process.

Here are a few things you can expect when working with the AHN Living Kidney Donor Program:

Minimally invasive donor surgery. We use advanced, robotic technology during kidney donor surgeries. This less invasive approach makes the procedure safer for donors and makes the recovery from surgery easier and faster.
Surgical expertise. Our surgeons have been performing successful donor surgeries since 1987. Our transplant surgeons are board-certified and fellowship-trained, which means they have gone through years of intense training to safely perform complex donor and transplant procedures.
Outstanding care quality. We have received national distinction for our innovative living donor care, including awards from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). We also earned the Excellence in Teamwork Award from the National Kidney Registry.
Tailored approach. We take time to look at the whole picture of your health and personal circumstances to ensure living donation is safe for you. Every evaluation and decision are individualized to protect your well-being before, during, and after surgery.
Personal attention. We understand what a selfless act kidney donation is. We have coordinators devoted exclusively to guiding donors through the kidney donation process. We want you to always feel confident in your care, and we're committed to ensuring your experience is as positive as possible. 
Paired kidney exchanges. AHN participates in a paired kidney exchange program through the National Kidney Registry (NKR), the largest living donor pool in the country. Paired kidney exchanges are a way for transplant candidates to receive a kidney even if their willing living donor is not a good match for donating directly to them. By participating in NKR, we connect more donors with suitable transplant recipients through paired donation.

Take the first step to living kidney donation

Start by filling out our online screening. This brief questionnaire helps our team determine if you meet the initial medical requirements for donation. Once we review your information, someone from our team will contact you to discuss next steps and guide you through the full evaluation process.

Our living kidney donor program includes medical professionals from different specialties and with different backgrounds working together to provide both donor and recipient with the best possible care.

Everyone on our team has received specialized transplant training. Throughout the living kidney donor process, we work together to provide comprehensive physical, mental, and emotional support for both you and the recipient.

At AHN, your care team includes:

Transplant Surgeons

Jennifer Carpenter, MD

Transplant Surgeon

Lorenzo Machado, MD

Transplant Surgeon

Tadahiro Uemura, MD, PhD

Transplant Surgeon

Thomas Murickan, MD

Transplant Surgeon

Transplant Specialists

Reem Daloul, MD

Transplant Nephrologist

Medical Director, Living Donor Kidney Transplant

Kristy Engel, PsyD

Transplant Psychologist

Additional care team members

Social worker
Transplant pharmacist
Independent living donor advocate (ILDA)
Financial coordinator
Nurse coordinator

Frequently asked questions about living kidney donation

What are the living kidney donor criteria?

To become a living kidney donor, you need to:

Be older than 18 and younger than 71.
Have a healthy body mass index (BMI) measurement within the acceptable limit.
Be in good physical health with no active cancer diagnosis or HIV/hepatitis.
Have stable mental health.
Have no history of diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure, chronic kidney stones, stroke, some autoimmune disorders, clotting disorders, or blood clots.
Be capable of making your own decisions that are free of coercion, pressure, and guilt.

We'll complete a comprehensive exam, including blood work, urine studies, imaging, and a multidisciplinary evaluation, to determine your eligibility for donation. If you meet the kidney donation requirements, our team will be by your side through the entire process. Our comprehensive follow-up care involves monitoring your health in the weeks and months following your surgery.

Can living kidney donors live a healthy life after surgery?

Living kidney donors are carefully screened and go through a thorough evaluation process before donation. Our care team will review potential risks and provide guidance on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle after living kidney donation.

Who pays for the kidney donor evaluation?

The kidney donor evaluation is covered by the recipient's insurance. As the donor, you'll be responsible for routine health and cancer screenings.

Can I donate if I live in a different state than my intended recipient?

You can complete your donor evaluation at a transplant center near you that participates in the National Kidney Registry (NKR). The NKR helps coordinate testing and surgery between transplant centers across the country, so you can donate even if you live far away from your recipient.

Do I need to be related to the recipient?

Donors can be family members, friends, coworkers, or even anonymous (non-directed) who choose to help someone in need.

Are there any protections for living kidney donors?

Donors who participate in the NKR receive Donor Shield and Kidney for Life benefits. Donor Shield can help support you throughout the donation process with things like wage reimbursement and travel costs. Kidney for Life can help secure future transplant priority if you ever need it. You'll also have an Independent Living Donor Advocate (ILDA) and ongoing medical care to keep you safe before and after donation.

Frequently asked questions about living kidney transplant surgery

What happens during the surgery?

The surgery usually lasts two to three hours. The surgeon will make five small incisions in your abdomen to insert laparoscopic instruments. A laparoscope has a miniature camera that helps guide the surgeon through surgery. The surgeon makes a 3- to 4-inch incision to remove the kidney. These incisions are closed using stitches that absorb on their own and do not need to be removed after surgery. After surgery, you'll spend one or two nights in the hospital. You can expect to be out of bed and walking around the same day of your surgery.

What should I expect during my recovery at home?

From the time you leave the hospital until your surgeon checks your incision around two weeks after surgery, you won't be able to drive. For six weeks after surgery, you won't be able to lift more than 10 pounds. You may feel tired for the first two weeks after surgery and will need to rest. We encourage you to be lightly active between resting periods by getting up and walking around. By three months after surgery, you'll be able to return to your normal physical activities.

What follow-up appointments do I need?

You will have a postoperative appointment with your surgeon within two weeks after surgery. During this appointment, your surgeon will check your incision to make sure it's healing well. After that, you'll follow up with your transplant nephrologist at six months, one year, and two years after surgery for telehealth visits. Before each of these follow-up visits, you'll get blood work and urine studies. It's important to regularly check your weight and blood pressure for two years following your surgery. After two years, you'll return to having annual physicals with your primary care provider (PCP).