Living Kidney Donation: Why Your Health Comes First

If you’re considering donating a kidney, you might be worried that doctors will prioritize the transplant above your well-being. It’s a valid concern—after all, giving up an organ is not a decision anyone makes lightly.

But here’s the truth: your medical team’s top priority is ensuring your health and safety—not just during the donation process, but for the rest of your life.

You’re Not Just a Donor. You’re a Patient.

From the moment you express interest in donating, you become a patient with your own care team, separate from the recipient’s team. That’s no accident. It’s a built-in safeguard.

The team is responsible for making sure donation won’t put your health at risk. If it will, they won’t let you move forward with the donation.

Not Everyone Gets Approved—And That’s a Good Thing

The evaluation process is rigorous for a reason. You’ll undergo multiple blood tests, imaging tests, medical exams, education sessions, and meetings with the transplant team that includes a thorough review of your physical and mental health. Sometimes you may have to undergo additional follow-up testing outside of the normal evaluation, which is an indication of the thoroughness of this evaluation process. If anything raises a red flag—high blood pressure, early signs of kidney disease, or even emotional issues—the team may recommend against donation. In fact, more than half of all people who apply to donate don’t get approved.

That’s not failure. That’s protection. Sometimes the team uncovers health concerns that you may never have been aware of, which is why this may be the best checkup you’ll ever undergo.

Saying “No” Is Part of the Job

Doctors don’t want to take a kidney from someone who might need it themselves one day. Before they let you donate, they want to be sure your remaining kidney can fully support your body for the rest of your life. The ultimate goal is to help you return to a normal, active, healthy life.

They’re also looking out for your emotional well-being—making sure the choice to donate is entirely your own, and not the result of pressure or guilt.

You Can Back Out Anytime

Even if you make it through all the testing and get approved, you still have the right to walk away—right up to the moment they wheel you into the operating room. You will hear this many times during your evaluation process from numerous members of the team. In fact, many donors report being asked just before anesthesia is administered whether they’re still sure they want to go through with the donation, and told they can stop the process immediately if they have changed their mind.

Most donors still give an enthusiastic thumbs-up, but there is absolutely no shame in backing out, and your team won’t argue with you or try to change your mind. Their role is to advocate for you, not for the transplant. The decision to back out of living donation is always a confidential decision that will not be shared with the recipient.

In the End, Your Safety Comes First

Yes, the need for living kidney donors is urgent. But that urgency never overrides medical ethics. The system is designed to protect donors—because living donation only works if it’s safe for both the donor and the recipient.

If you’re thinking about donating, you can be sure that you won’t be treated like a means to an end. You’ll be cared for as a whole person, with your health and future at the center of every decision.