Current wait times for a cadaveric kidney transplant

@blbird33, I hear you and understand your valid concerns. I am unqualified to answer these questions as I am a volunteer volunteer who lives in Kentucky. I think you will be best served to call the Mayo Clinic Transplant number for Phoenix and talk to someone.

Please keep me informed.

I donated my kidney on 3/31/2022 at Mayo as my son needed a transplant . We were not a match so the shared donor program worked for us. I donated at Mayo Mn. and my kidney sent to recipient in NJ. Donor kidney from NJ went to recipient in Boston. Donor kidney from Boston brought to Mayo Mn. for my recipient son. All the above 6 surgeries done on 3/31/2022. I recommend finding a family member or friend who can be a live donor for you. Muchbetter than deceased donor. I am almost 72 and donated my kidney and had no problems

@glengelmd1 Bless your heart! What a true delight to read the route your son's new kidney took to get to him. And it underscores what can be done these days, to get matches.

How are you and your son feeling these days?
Ginger

My son and I are doing wonderful. Enjoying life and trying to live a healthy life style. I am donating a unit of blood on Thursday.

Ginger, I hope it is ok to ask how her son found a kidney donor. I am stage 5 Polycystic Kidney Disease and am open for new ways, new ideas to find a donor. It is a difficult process. I wish the best for her son and family. Thank you. Blessings, Barbara Bird

@blbird33
Barbara, here is an older discussion about finding a donor: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ways-to-advertise/?pg=2#comment-675519

Don't hesitate to get listed at more than one transplant center. My husband did that, and his new kidney came from the second location! Other ideas include talking to your family and friends, letting them know you are searching for someone to "share your spare" for a living donation. Have them speak to their friends and acquaintances. Post on your social media. Wear a T-shirt that you make up, letting everyone who sees you, know you are on the hunt. Wear a button on your shirt with that information. Put a sign on your car.

I am also Stage 5, but am not eligible for transplant.
Ginger

@blbird33 I wish you the very best in finding a donor. If you have not already done so, you could read through our toolkits that give a bit of information about how to go about asking people and finding a living donor. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/transplant/tab/resource-35/#Finding

I am 6 years out from my kidney transplant. After being wait listed for a kidney in OK I was shocked to find out the wait time for a cadaver kidney was estimated to be 5+ years.

In order to reduce wait time I was listed at 4 different kidney transplant centers and was working on the 5th when I got the call from a transplant center in TX.

My wait time was less than 10 months from listing at the first transplant center to my transplant. My transplant was done less than 3 months after being listed at the transplant center where the transplant was done. My transplantedkidney was also a 100% match.

I would encourage anyone waiting on a kidney to consider multilisting.

This website
txmultilisting.com
Will provide average wait times for every transplant center broken down by blood type and other factors.

The website will provide all the information you need to select multiple transplant centers, get multilisted and decrease your expected wait time.

I would not be alive today if I had not been multi listed.

My first transplant center discouraged multilisting and even threatened to remove me from their wait list if I pursued multilisting.

My advice to everyone waiting on a kidney transplant is to BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE.

@frayfl Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Your transplant story is inspiring to those who have not considered multi-listing. And, wow! what a quick turnaround for getting your new kidney!

When my husband multi-listed, he had to pay $500 out-of-pocket, as insurance would not cover that. I think it was to get his foot in the door of the additional center. Did you experience that?

Yes, being your own health advocate is important. How are you doing these days?
Ginger

I was lucky to have great insurance. Once I met my annual deductable of $750 everything was paid at 100%.

I had to pay travel and lodging costs.

Most of the transplant centers were very helpful and were eager to help.