Common myths about living kidney and liver donation
Living organ donation is when a person donates an organ or part of an organ while they are alive to someone in need.
A kidney and a part of a liver can be donated by living donors to save someone’s life. Living organ donation can:
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Lower someone’s wait time for an organ transplant
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Provide typically longer-lasting and quicker working transplants compared to organs from deceased donors
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For kidney, prevent the need for dialysis for someone with kidney disease, or shorten the time they need dialysis
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For liver, lower the number of people who die while waiting for a deceased donor transplant
Facts about being a donor
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I’m not a match with my recipient, so I can’t donate. | For kidney donation: Kidney paired donation allows for 2 or more incompatible donor and recipient pairs to swap donors. The donors are then able to give their organs to a compatible recipient in a different pair.
For liver donation: Transplant centers can work to match donors and recipients to create compatible pairs or a donor chain of several compatible pairs. |
I don’t know anyone who needs a kidney or liver, so I can’t donate. | A person can donate to someone who they don’t know or have a relationship with. This is called a non-directed donor. Most transplant centers have programs where they match compatible recipients with a non-directed donor. |
I have to be related to the recipient. | Living donors do not have to be related to someone to donate to them. Donors and recipients have blood tests, imaging tests, and other exams to see if they match (are compatible), which means the donated organ will work well in the recipient’s body. |
I’m too old to be a living organ donor. | For kidney donation: Most kidney transplant centers don’t have an upper age limit for donors. They look at the person’s health overall to decide if it’s safe for someone to donate. Many people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s or older have successfully donated. For liver donation: Liver transplant centers have an upper age limit of 60, except in rare cases when someone over age 60 can donate. |
There are enough organs donated every year for everyone who needs a transplant. | There is an organ shortage. In 2026, over 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant and over 9,000 people are waiting for a liver transplant. |
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I’m not a match with my recipient, so I can’t donate. | For kidney donation: Kidney paired donation allows for 2 or more incompatible donor and recipient pairs to swap donors. The donors are then able to give their organs to a compatible recipient in a different pair.
For liver donation: Transplant centers can work to match donors and recipients to create compatible pairs or a donor chain of several compatible pairs. |
I don’t know anyone who needs a kidney or liver, so I can’t donate. | A person can donate to someone who they don’t know or have a relationship with. This is called a non-directed donor. Most transplant centers have programs where they match compatible recipients with a non-directed donor. |
I have to be related to the recipient. | Living donors do not have to be related to someone to donate to them. Donors and recipients have blood tests, imaging tests, and other exams to see if they match (are compatible), which means the donated organ will work well in the recipient’s body. |
I’m too old to be a living organ donor. | For kidney donation: Most kidney transplant centers don’t have an upper age limit for donors. They look at the person’s health overall to decide if it’s safe for someone to donate. Many people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s or older have successfully donated. For liver donation: Liver transplant centers have an upper age limit of 60, except in rare cases when someone over age 60 can donate. |
There are enough organs donated every year for everyone who needs a transplant. | There is an organ shortage. In 2026, over 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant and over 9,000 people are waiting for a liver transplant. |
Myth
I’m not a match with my recipient, so I can’t donate.
Fact
For kidney donation: Kidney paired donation allows for 2 or more incompatible donor and recipient pairs to swap donors. The donors are then able to give their organs to a compatible recipient in a different pair.
For liver donation: Transplant centers can work to match donors and recipients to create compatible pairs or a donor chain of several compatible pairs.
Myth
I don’t know anyone who needs a kidney or liver, so I can’t donate.
Fact
A person can donate to someone who they don’t know or have a relationship with. This is called a non-directed donor. Most transplant centers have programs where they match compatible recipients with a non-directed donor.
Myth
I have to be related to the recipient.
Fact
Living donors do not have to be related to someone to donate to them. Donors and recipients have blood tests, imaging tests, and other exams to see if they match (are compatible), which means the donated organ will work well in the recipient’s body.
Myth
I’m too old to be a living organ donor.
Fact
For kidney donation: Most kidney transplant centers don’t have an upper age limit for donors. They look at the person’s health overall to decide if it’s safe for someone to donate. Many people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s or older have successfully donated.
For liver donation: Liver transplant centers have an upper age limit of 60, except in rare cases when someone over age 60 can donate.
Myth
There are enough organs donated every year for everyone who needs a transplant.
Fact
There is an organ shortage. In 2026, over 90,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant and over 9,000 people are waiting for a liver transplant.
Facts about the donation process
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I will be in the hospital for a long time after surgery. | For kidney donation: Living kidney donors typically stay 2-3 days in the hospital. For liver donation: Living liver donors typically stay for about 1 week in the hospital. |
It hurts a lot to donate a kidney or a part of my liver. | After surgery, doctors give donors pain medicine to heal and rest. |
Once I start being evaluated as a potential donor, I have to donate if they accept me. | Anyone exploring living donation can stop the process at any time if they decide it isn’t right for them, even up to the day of surgery. It is important that living donors make the decision to donate voluntarily and are free of any pressure. |
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I will be in the hospital for a long time after surgery. | For kidney donation: Living kidney donors typically stay 2-3 days in the hospital. For liver donation: Living liver donors typically stay for about 1 week in the hospital. |
It hurts a lot to donate a kidney or a part of my liver. | After surgery, doctors give donors pain medicine to heal and rest. |
Once I start being evaluated as a potential donor, I have to donate if they accept me. | Anyone exploring living donation can stop the process at any time if they decide it isn’t right for them, even up to the day of surgery. It is important that living donors make the decision to donate voluntarily and are free of any pressure. |
Myth
I will be in the hospital for a long time after surgery.
Fact
For kidney donation: Living kidney donors typically stay 2-3 days in the hospital.
For liver donation: Living liver donors typically stay for about 1 week in the hospital.
Myth
It hurts a lot to donate a kidney or a part of my liver.
Fact
After surgery, doctors give donors pain medicine to heal and rest.
Myth
Once I start being evaluated as a potential donor, I have to donate if they accept me.
Fact
Anyone exploring living donation can stop the process at any time if they decide it isn’t right for them, even up to the day of surgery.
It is important that living donors make the decision to donate voluntarily and are free of any pressure.
Facts about what happens after donating
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I’m going to be less healthy because I donated. | Most living donors go on to live active, healthy lives and can see the positive impact of their donation for themselves and the recipient. In general, researchers have found that donors are just as happy with their health as the general population and healthy people who have not donated. |
After donating, I’ll only have part of my organ function. | For kidney donation: Most people can live well with only 1 kidney and donors go on to live active, healthy lives. Over 3-6 months after surgery, the remaining kidney will get bigger and do the work of both kidneys. Doctors also look at a donor’s kidney function during their donor evaluation to make sure donating a kidney won’t make them less healthy or harm them. For liver donation: A donor’s liver begins to grow back (regenerate) right away after surgery. It will return to full size in 2-3 months. Even while the liver regrows, the part that is left can make up for the work that the full liver normally does. |
I have to change my lifestyle after donating. | Donors return to their normal life and also continue to keep up with their health after donating by having medical check-ups, eating healthy, and exercising. Donors need to avoid activities that could hurt the remaining organ, for example martial arts. |
I can’t get pregnant after I donate an organ. | Research on living donors shows that most people who want to become pregnant after donation can. The transplant team will usually recommend waiting 6-12 months after surgery before trying to become pregnant. |
Donating will automatically affect my ability to get life or health insurance in the future. | Federal laws and laws in most states protect living donors from problems with health insurance. You can talk to a transplant social worker during donor evaluation about any protections or laws in the state where you live. There are some donor protection programs to make sure that this does not happen. |
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I’m going to be less healthy because I donated. | Most living donors go on to live active, healthy lives and can see the positive impact of their donation for themselves and the recipient. In general, researchers have found that donors are just as happy with their health as the general population and healthy people who have not donated. |
After donating, I’ll only have part of my organ function. | For kidney donation: Most people can live well with only 1 kidney and donors go on to live active, healthy lives. Over 3-6 months after surgery, the remaining kidney will get bigger and do the work of both kidneys. Doctors also look at a donor’s kidney function during their donor evaluation to make sure donating a kidney won’t make them less healthy or harm them. For liver donation: A donor’s liver begins to grow back (regenerate) right away after surgery. It will return to full size in 2-3 months. Even while the liver regrows, the part that is left can make up for the work that the full liver normally does. |
I have to change my lifestyle after donating. | Donors return to their normal life and also continue to keep up with their health after donating by having medical check-ups, eating healthy, and exercising. Donors need to avoid activities that could hurt the remaining organ, for example martial arts. |
I can’t get pregnant after I donate an organ. | Research on living donors shows that most people who want to become pregnant after donation can. The transplant team will usually recommend waiting 6-12 months after surgery before trying to become pregnant. |
Donating will automatically affect my ability to get life or health insurance in the future. | Federal laws and laws in most states protect living donors from problems with health insurance. You can talk to a transplant social worker during donor evaluation about any protections or laws in the state where you live. There are some donor protection programs to make sure that this does not happen. |
Myth
I’m going to be less healthy because I donated.
Fact
Most living donors go on to live active, healthy lives and can see the positive impact of their donation for themselves and the recipient. In general, researchers have found that donors are just as happy with their health as the general population and healthy people who have not donated.
Myth
After donating, I’ll only have part of my organ function.
Fact
For kidney donation: Most people can live well with only 1 kidney and donors go on to live active, healthy lives. Over 3-6 months after surgery, the remaining kidney will get bigger and do the work of both kidneys. Doctors also look at a donor’s kidney function during their donor evaluation to make sure donating a kidney won’t make them less healthy or harm them.
For liver donation: A donor’s liver begins to grow back (regenerate) right away after surgery. It will return to full size in 2-3 months. Even while the liver regrows, the part that is left can make up for the work that the full liver normally does.
Myth
I have to change my lifestyle after donating.
Fact
Donors return to their normal life and also continue to keep up with their health after donating by having medical check-ups, eating healthy, and exercising.
Donors need to avoid activities that could hurt the remaining organ, for example martial arts.
Myth
I can’t get pregnant after I donate an organ.
Fact
Research on living donors shows that most people who want to become pregnant after donation can. The transplant team will usually recommend waiting 6-12 months after surgery before trying to become pregnant.
Myth
Donating will automatically affect my ability to get life or health insurance in the future.
Fact
Federal laws and laws in most states protect living donors from problems with health insurance.
You can talk to a transplant social worker during donor evaluation about any protections or laws in the state where you live. There are some donor protection programs to make sure that this does not happen.
Facts about costs of donating
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I have to pay for donation costs myself. | Living donors do not have to pay for donor evaluation or surgery because the recipient’s insurance covers donation costs. However, donors may have to pay for costs like parking, childcare, travel, and lost wages from being out of work during evaluation and surgery. Donors can talk to their transplant social worker before evaluation about any financial programs that help cover non-medical costs related to donation, such as HRSA’s Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program, which is a national program that covers up to $6,000 for donors and their caregivers. |
Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
I have to pay for donation costs myself. | Living donors do not have to pay for donor evaluation or surgery because the recipient’s insurance covers donation costs. However, donors may have to pay for costs like parking, childcare, travel, and lost wages from being out of work during evaluation and surgery. Donors can talk to their transplant social worker before evaluation about any financial programs that help cover non-medical costs related to donation, such as HRSA’s Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program, which is a national program that covers up to $6,000 for donors and their caregivers. |
Myth
I have to pay for donation costs myself.
Fact
Living donors do not have to pay for donor evaluation or surgery because the recipient’s insurance covers donation costs.
However, donors may have to pay for costs like parking, childcare, travel, and lost wages from being out of work during evaluation and surgery.
Donors can talk to their transplant social worker before evaluation about any financial programs that help cover non-medical costs related to donation, such as HRSA’s Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program, which is a national program that covers up to $6,000 for donors and their caregivers.