I live in the Houston TX area and was in the wait list at 3 facilities; Houston Methodist, Univ of TX Galveston and University Hospital San Antonio. I transplantedcat Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee as that is where my donor wished to have it done. I am 69 yrs young again.

@maryraines that was a perfectly time response! I'm right here at my computer, and up pops your message! I am so-o-o happy for you to have received your transplant. I was blessed with a liver and kidney transplanted from a deceased donor. He is forever my hero and I am thankful for his great gift every day.
I understand what you mean by 69 years young again! That does take on a special meaning now, doesn't it?
I, myself, have never heard of a matching donor group. What does that mean? How does it work?
Rosemary

Matching donor groups are formed when you have a willing donor but they do not match you. If they and you are willing, you will be added to other people who are willing to take a stranger's donation in "exchange" for your volunteer donation. Say A recipient does not match A donor, but matches C donor, who does not match C recipient. A recipient gets C donor's organ. But, A donor does not match C recipient, so B recipient/donor are contacted. C recipient receives B donor's organ, and hopefully B recipient gets A donor's organ. That is the general idea. It doesn't always work out that well, so sometimes more recipient/donor pairs are contacted.

That's right when several parties have living donors there can be swaps made. However, the group I joined is an organization that a receipent can join, post a profile and one can match with an altruistic living donor. This is where I found my living donor and thankful everyday.