How you prepare

Making an informed decision

Making the decision to donate an organ is a personal one that deserves careful thought and consideration of both the serious risks and benefits. Talk through your decision with your friends, family and other trusted advisers.

You should not feel pressured to donate, and you may change your mind at any point.

Some helpful questions to consider:

• How do I feel about organ donation?
• What are the medical risks?
• What will my insurance cover?
• How will donating affect me financially or my ability to work?
• Do I know enough to make an informed decision?
• Is someone pressuring me psychologically to be a living donor?
• How will donating or not donating affect my relationship with the recipient?
• Is there someone else who could donate?
• If there is more than one possible donor, how will the living donor be chosen?
• How does my religion view organ donation?
• Are there aspects of my health or medical history that I know should keep me from donating?
• Do I have a support network in place to help me through this process?
• How will I feel if I'm rejected during the evaluation process?
• How will I feel if my recipient does not do well after the transplant?

Your medical information is kept confidential by the transplant center. If you are rejected as a donor during the evaluation process, the donor is told only that your organ was declined. It is up to you whether you tell the recipient (if known) the reason if you choose to do so.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) require that living-donor transplant centers provide an independent living-donor advocate to protect the informed consent process. This advocate is often a social worker or counselor who can help you discuss your feelings, answer any questions you have and assist in protecting your best interests throughout the donation process.

Choosing a transplant center

Your physician or your recipient's physician may recommend a transplant center for your procedure. You're also free to select a transplant center on your own or choose a center from your insurance company's list of preferred providers.

When considering a transplant center, you may want to:

• Learn about the number and type of transplants the center performs each year
• Ask about the transplant center's organ donor and recipient survival rates
• Compare transplant center statistics through the database maintained by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients
• Assess the center's commitment to keeping up with the latest transplant technology and techniques, which indicates that the program is growing
• Consider other services provided by the transplant center, such as support groups, travel arrangements, local housing for your recovery period and referrals to other resources

If you're committed to donating an organ, your transplant team will partner with you and your doctor throughout the living-donor transplantation process.