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Talk to someone who has already done it.

Everyone here has either donated a kidney or received one, and has volunteered to answer questions. They are not doctors and they are not recruiters — they will tell you what it was actually like, and nothing else.

Writing to somebody costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Your message goes through us; they never see your email address unless they reply, and you never see theirs.

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  • Mark

    Mark

    Transplant recipientWhat it cost me · The surgery and recovery · Time off work · How I am years later · Telling my family · How I asked people · Being on the list

    Mark

    Transplant recipientsince 2023· Mckinney, TX

    I have lived with kidney disease since early childhood and have undergone four kidney transplants. My first transplant came from my mother when I was 21 months old, followed by a second from my father when I was 13. A third transplant from my uncle failed shortly after surgery, and I was later diagnosed with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) at the University of Minnesota. After approximately seven years, I received my fourth kidney transplant from my cousin, giving me another chance to live a healthy and fulfilling life.

    Happy to talk about

    What it cost meThe surgery and recoveryTime off workHow I am years laterTelling my familyHow I asked peopleBeing on the list

Worth knowing

Mentors share their own experience and nothing else. They do not give medical advice, do not assess whether anyone is a suitable donor, and are never paid — for their time or for anything connected to a donation. If anybody here ever raises money, payment or anything of value in connection with a donation, tell us — that is a federal crime and it is also the one thing that would end this directory.

Been through it yourself?

The questions people are most afraid to ask a surgeon are the ones you can answer in twenty minutes. You choose what you are willing to talk about, and you can stop at any time.

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