Living Organ Donation in Texas

The living donor names the person to receive the transplant. This is the most common type of living donation. In a directed donation, the living donor may or may not be a biological relative, such as a parent, brother, sister, or adult child.

If tests reveal that the living donor would not be a good medical match, paired donation (#3 below) may be an option.

The living donor does not name the specific person to receive the transplant. Transplant centers determine a match based on medical compatibility with a patient on the national transplant waiting list. The living donor is often called an altruistic donor. 

This type of donation occurs when a transplant candidate has someone who wants to donate a kidney to them, but tests reveal the potential donor’s kidney would not be a good medical match to the recipient. Kidney paired donation gives that transplant candidate another option: swapping living donor kidneys so each recipient receives a compatible transplant.

Birth/gestational tissue can be donated after the delivery of a living newborn. Donated birth tissue is often used in reconstructive procedures to promote healing, including burn and wound treatment. Birth tissue donation does not impact the donor’s health or their baby’s health. Donated birth tissue can include placenta, amniotic membrane, chorionic membrane, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord tissue, and umbilical veins.

Birth tissue and cord blood donations need specific authorization. Find facilities that are accredited for birth tissue through the American Association of Tissue Banks.

Living donors should be in good overall physical and mental health and older than 18 years of age. Some medical conditions could prevent an individual from being a living donor. Since some donor health conditions could harm a transplant recipient, living donor candidates should share all known information about their physical and mental health. Potential donors should be fully informed of the known risks involved with donation. The decision to donate should be completely voluntary and free of pressure or guilt. Additionally, potential donors can delay or stop the process at any time.

1. Contact a transplant hospital

If you know a person you would like to help through living directed donation, contact the transplant program where the candidate is listed. If you would like to be a living non-directed donor, contact a transplant hospital of your choice to find out if they have this type of donation program. Visit the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Member Directory for a complete list of transplant hospitals. 

2. Have an initial screening

This initial screening determines if you are compatible with the intended transplant candidate. This process includes a review of your medical history questions to determine if you have any conditions that would keep you from being a donor. If you are not compatible with that person, you may have other options to donate. 

If you remain interested in being a donor after your initial screening, the staff will ask follow-up questions about topics that may impact your ability to donate. These include but are not limited to questions regarding risk of disease transmission, financial stability, support system, and the donation’s impacts to your lifestyle. 

3. Talk with an independent donor advocate

Transplant hospitals must provide an independent donor advocate (IDA) to all potential donors. Your IDA should not be part of the potential transplant recipient’s medical team. The IDA will assist you during the donation process.

4. Get tested

Below are examples of some of the medical tests potential donors will undergo as part of their evaluation. All test results are kept confidential under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and no transplant candidate can access your personal information.

• Psychosocial and/or psychological evaluation
• Blood test
• Urine testing
• Chest X-Ray and electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Radiologic testing 
• Gynecological examination
• Cancer screening