Finding a Living Donor

1 day ago | Kristin Eggebraaten | @keggebraaten

When your doctor tells you it’s time to consider organ transplant, the flood of thoughts that follows can be overwhelming. Concerns about the surgery itself, your family, your finances, your pets, your home, your job—every corner of your life suddenly feels uncertain. Yet amid all these worries, one question tends to rise to the surface again and again: Where will my new organ come from?

Transplanted organs can come from two types of donors. In deceased donor transplants, selfless individuals choose to give the gift of life after their death. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough of these donors to meet the growing need. Living donors can help fill that gap. But that leads to a deeply personal and difficult question: How do you ask someone to give a part of themselves to save you?

While these suggestions may not apply in every situation, here are some tips to think about when you want to consider a living donor.

Family and friends

Because healthy blood relatives, specifically siblings, tend to make the best donors, it's recommended that your search for a living donor start with family. We know the thought of asking someone to be a living donor can be overwhelming. For many people, thinking, "I need to let my loved ones know about my situation and educate them about organ donation" rather than "I need to ask someone to donate an organ” can have a significant impact on your state of mind and willingness to talk to family members and friends.

Remember, there’s always that trusted pen and paper. You can write your story once and send it to multiple people either through regular mail or email. Your transplant team may have other resources they can provide to help you through this process.

Social media

If you're unsuccessful in finding a blood relative or close friend who is willing and able to be your living donor, you may consider social media to raise awareness of your situation. Social media enables fast communication around the world, making it a great forum for sharing your story and need for a kidney or liver transplant. A Facebook group page is an easy way to educate friends and family about your situation. You could build one yourself or recruit the help of your family or caregiver.

When sharing about your need for a transplant on social media, it's important to include key information such as your blood type and the basic requirements for living donation. While your situation is understandably difficult, try to focus on providing clear, factual details rather than making emotional appeals. This helps people understand how they can help and makes it easier for potential donors to take the next step.

Here are some helpful ideas to include in your posts:

The organ you need – and maybe some information about the liver or kidney and what it does for the body.
The qualifications for living donation. Remember that the qualifications are general. If someone isn’t sure if they qualify, they should consider applying to be a donor to find out if they qualify.
If you're comfortable sharing your diagnosis, educate your social network on your condition and why you need a transplant.
If you're being treated at Mayo Clinic, include a link to our health history questionnaire, which is the first step to being considered for living donation.
Photos of you, recent progress you’ve made and the hobbies you’re looking forward to returning to once you receive your transplant.
Video blogs or live stream of you sharing your journey and personal transplant experience.

Don't forget these social media best practices:

When people engage with your posts via likes, comments or shares, be sure to thank them. Answer any questions people ask and acknowledge well wishes.
Aim to post at least 2-3 times per week to keep people interested.
Add hashtags to your posts so that followers can easily find and search for updates they’re interested in following.

If you're considering using social media, it's important to take some common-sense precautions to protect yourself:

Talk to your transplant coordinator or social worker before sharing your story online. They can help you develop a thoughtful, safe approach.
Be cautious with personal information. Avoid posting sensitive details like your phone number, home address, email, or family information. Don’t share anything you wouldn’t want to become public.
Understand privacy settings on social networking sites, but remember: once something is online, it can be copied, shared, and spread — privacy is never guaranteed.
Be careful about meeting people you’ve only interacted with online. It's difficult to verify someone's identity through photos or self-reported information. Take someone with you if you decide to meet and schedule your meeting in a public place such as a restaurant or coffee shop.
Stay alert for scams. Never share financial or credit card information without verifying the source. Remember, Mayo Clinic will never ask for your personal medical or financial information on social media. If you have financial questions, please speak to your transplant team.

Your local community

Some transplant patients have success with outreach and events in their local community, such as at church, work, school or through civic groups. Think about people in your community that are well-connected. Invite them to brainstorm ideas with you on how you can tell your story to help find a living donor.

News Media

In addition to social media, local news outlets can be a powerful way to share your story. Human-interest pieces in newspapers, on TV, or on the radio can raise awareness and support for your cause. Consider reaching out to local media with information about your situation, community events, or donation efforts—they’re often looking for meaningful stories to feature. If you decide to do a media interview, let your nurse coordinator know. Your medical center may also be able to share your story through their media staff.

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