How to ask for living kidney donation

Being diagnosed with kidney failure comes with many challenges. Medications, dialysis, the physical and emotional exhaustion. It’s all the more difficult if you develop end-stage kidney disease and need a kidney transplant.

For these individuals, there are only three treatment options:

• Dialysis
• Kidney transplant from a deceased donor
• Kidney transplant from a living donor

The best and fastest option for a patient in need of a kidney transplant is to receive a kidney from a living donor. Donating a kidney — becoming a living donor — is a selfless act that can improve or save the life of a person with advanced or end-stage kidney disease.

But that’s a HUGE request. In fact, the thought of asking someone for an organ is so overwhelming that more than half of all people in need of a kidney transplant don’t even try. They don’t even ask one person. At the same time, your friends and family members are often eager to help you spread the word or consider donation themselves.

Taking that first step is hard, but it’s important. I’ve put together this checklist to help you get started:

Share the news with your inner circle

To begin identifying potential living donors, it’s easier to start with people who are closest to you. If you feel you can’t find the words for a face-to-face conversation, an email can help you organize your thoughts. Each conversation you have will make you more confident to speak with others.

Explain your diagnosis, and the story that leads up to it, if that helps.

Explain why a kidney from a living donor is your best option.

Let them know that you understand living donation may not be an option for everyone and acknowledge that your relationship will not change if they choose not to donate.

Choose a donor champion

It’s not a surprise that finding a living donor can be overwhelming. To help you identify potential living donors, find a family member or close friend who can be your living kidney donor champion. With the enormous physical and emotional toll of living with end-stage kidney disease, not to mention the exhaustion of dialysis treatment, removing the stress of finding a living donor can be a great help to you. Your donor champion will be your voice, helping you spread the word about your need for a donor kidney and sharing with others how the donation process works.

Your donor champion will also be the point of contact for anyone who wants more information about the process. This buffer can make it easier for people to come forward and ask for more information.

To be a donor champion, a person needs to be willing to:

• Learn about the kidney donation process
• Spread the word on social media, in social groups and in everyday conversations
• Serve as the point of contact for anyone requesting more information about donating to you and direct them to Ohio State's living donor questionnaire

Gather contact lists and details for potential donors

Make a list of all family members, friends and co-workers to contact. Prioritize family first; they have the best chance of being matches.

Direct family and friends to start the assessment process to be a living kidney donor by completing the online health assessment questionnaire.

Once completed, the information will be reviewed by our living donor team. Potential candidates that pass the online health assessment will be contacted directly by the team.