Facebook and other social media channels can be very helpful in getting the word out about your need for a kidney donor. Your microsite gives you a personalized page that you can share on Facebook, email, and other social media channels, and our microsite coaches can also help you with your social media efforts, including how to post and what to say.
FAQ: General
If you find a donor willing to donate on your behalf, that donor may be able to donate directly to you, but it is often more beneficial for you and the donor to enter the Voucher Program. By entering this program, your donor can donate when it is convenient for them and you can get the best match possible. The Voucher Program also protects the donor because all voucher donors are covered by Donor Shield.
If you need a living kidney donor, you can sometimes find a donor by asking friends and family members. If you are unable to find a donor among people you know, we recommend finding a transplant center that participates in our Microsite Program, which is a free service that helps kidney patients build a simple website to tell their story and find a donor. The site is sharable via social media and comes with 250 free business cards with the patient’s name and microsite URL that can be given out by the patient. If you need a living kidney donor, visit FindaKidney.com for information and helpful resources.
The NKR protects patients by ensuring they are not disadvantaged for a transplant based on their insurance.
Medicaid does not cover physicians who are not in the same state as the patient. Kidney paired exchange often involves a recipient receiving a kidney that was removed in a state other than where the recipient is. The NKR has set up a program that provides payments to the donor surgeon when the recipient has Medicaid coverage and is out of state.
The 1972 Medicare Act provides Medicare coverage for dialysis and transplant costs and many transplant patients sign up for Medicare coverage when eligible, making Medicare coverage common for patients seeking a kidney transplant. To learn more about Medicare coverage for kidney patients click this link.
Consult your transplant team to determine your coverage as it relates to your kidney transplant and the potential for out-of-pocket expenses including your Rx coverage.
You will generally be in the hospital for two to seven days. Most kidney transplant recipients can return to normal activities within four to eight weeks after surgery.
You will generally be in the hospital for two to seven days. Most kidney transplant recipients can return to normal activities within four to eight weeks after surgery.
If you have advanced kidney disease, you may be eligible for a transplant. You will need to be evaluated by a transplant center, which will do a number of tests to determine whether you are a good candidate for a kidney transplant. In general, qualifications for kidney transplant include having chronic irreversible kidney disease, being on dialysis now or being close to needing dialysis. You may be ineligible for a kidney transplant if you have an additional life-threatening disease, a history of chronic drug or alcohol abuse, or a serious psychiatric disorder.
Searching for a living kidney donor can be an overwhelming and time-consuming process. Find A Kidney, a website run by the National Kidney Registry (NKR), offers instructions and advice on how to find a living kidney donor, as well as a free, personalized donor search website called a microsite. Learn more about how the NKR can help you find a living donor.