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Living Kidney Donation

Becoming a living kidney donor is a generous act that can dramatically improve or even save someone’s life. With over 90,000 people in the U.S. awaiting a kidney transplant and limited availability from deceased donors, living donation offers a powerful alternative. The National Kidney Registry (NKR) streamlines this process, offering unmatched support and flexibility for donors.​

Comprehensive Living Kidney Donor Protections

If you donate through the NKR, you’ll be covered by the Donor Shield program, which includes:​

  • Lost Wage Reimbursement: Up to $2,000 per week for up to 12 weeks.​
  • Donor Expense Reimbursement: Up to $6,000 for travel and dependent care costs.​
  • Kidney Prioritization: In the rare event you need a transplant in the future, you’ll receive priority access to a living donor kidney. ​
  • Complications Protection: Financial assistance for any donation-related coverage.
  • Legal Support: Assistance for issues related to employment or insurance discrimination.​
  • Other Support and Protections: Donor Shield also offers the option of speaking with a donor mentor, at-home blood draws for testing and evaluation, the ability to donate at a transplant center close to your home, and more.​
  • Improved Donation Options: If you’re not a direct match for your intended recipient, are interested in donating to a stranger, or want to find the best possible match, the NKR offers innovative solutions:​
    • Paired Exchange: If you aren’t a good match for your donor, or you want to find a better match, the NKR offers paired exchange, where you donate a kidney to someone else and your intended recipient receives a kidney from a better-matched donor in return.
    • Standard Voucher Program: With the Standard Voucher Program, you donate when it is convenient for you. Your donation generates a voucher for your intended recipient, which they can redeem for a well-matched living donor kidney when they’re ready for transplant. ​
    • Family Voucher Program: With the Family Voucher Program, you donate to a stranger on the waitlist and provide up to five family members with vouchers. One of these voucher holders can redeem the voucher to be prioritized for a living donor transplant should they ever need one in the future.
    • Latest Matching Technology: The NKR uses the latest DNA technology to find the best possible donor-recipient matches. Better matches generally lead to improved outcomes and a longer-lasting transplant.

Kidney Donor Shield

For more information on Kidney Donor Shield, please visit donorshield.com/kidney-donors/