Resources

Learn about living organ donation

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Provides trusted federal information and resources about organ donation and transplantation, including living donation, the donation process, and what to expect as a donor. HRSA is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- organdonor.gov/

Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR): A federally contracted registry that provides data and information about organ donation and transplantation. Its interactive transplant system map helps donors, recipients, and others explore the steps in the transplant journey.
- srtr.hrsa.gov/patients-care-partners/transplant-system-map/interactive-system-map/

American Society of Transplantation (AST): The AST Living Donor Community of Practice (LDCOP) provides educational materials, including toolkits and webinars, for potential living donors.
- myast.org/ldcop-educational-resources

American Transplant Foundation (ATF): Offers educational resources, financial assistance, and mentoring for living donors, transplant recipients, and caregivers. Registers potential living donors and assists transplant patients seeking a living donor.
- americantransplantfoundation.org/

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS): A nonprofit organization that provides information and resources about living donation, including the donation process, data, and frequently asked questions.
- unos.org/transplant/living-donation/

Learn about financial support to lower donation costs

There are programs that can help with the costs of living donation:

Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program, administered through the National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) can help eligible donors with travel expenses, lost wages, and dependent care costs.
- Talk to your transplant center about this program, and learn more about financial help for donors here.

American Transplant Foundation (ATF): A patient assistance program to help with lost wages.
- americantransplantfoundation.org/programs/pap/

Donor Shield: A program that can offer reimbursement for certain costs such as lost wages, lodging, meals, and even pet care.
- donorshield.com/

For kidney donation: Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation (APKD): Donor Protect provides protection for every living kidney donor who donates a kidney through the APKD. This includes priority for a living donor transplant, should a living kidney donor ever need one, and financial support.
- paireddonation.org/donorprotect/

For kidney donation: American Kidney Fund (AKF): Offers financial support for living kidney donors in Illinois, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C.
- kidneyfund.org/get-assistance/living-donor-assistance-program

Talk to your living donor social worker about other financial resources that may be available to you. These are not all the possible resources that may be available to you, and their inclusion on this website is not an endorsement of these services.

Learn about living kidney donation

Learn more about living kidney donation

National Kidney Foundation (NKF): Nonprofit organization with The Big Ask, The Big Give project, which helps begin the conversation about living kidney donation.

American Kidney Fund (AKF): Nonprofit organization that provides information on kidney disease and becoming a kidney donor.
- kidneyfund.org/kidney-donation-and-transplant/preparing-your-living-kidney-donation

American Society of Transplantation (AST): The Living Kidney Donor Medical Toolkit offers a series of chapters about specific aspects of living kidney donor evaluation and experience.
- livingdonortoolkit.com/medical-toolkit

National Kidney Registry (NKR): Registry that outlines the process of donating through NKR and provides tools for finding a living kidney donor.
- kidneyregistry.com/

Watch stories of living donors

The Living Donation Storytelling Project
- Hear real life stories on our website

Ask your questions through the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) CARES Help Line

If you have questions about living kidney donation or transplants, are looking for educational material, or need help finding a transplant center, you can contact NKF CARES:

Call: 855-653-2273, Monday – Friday, 9am-7pm ET
Or send a message: NKF CARES

Talk to a peer mentor through NKF PEERS

If you'd like to talk to someone who has donated, had a transplant, or is a care partner for someone living with kidney disease to hear their experience and ask questions, you can contact NKF PEERS:

Visit: NKF PEERS
Or call: 855-653-2273, Monday – Friday, 9am-7pm ET

Learn about living liver donation

Learn more about living liver donation

American Liver Foundation (ALF): An introduction for donors and recipients that covers the basics of how living donation works.
- liverfoundation.org/liver-diseases/treatment/living-donor-liver-transplant-information-center/an-introduction-for-donors-and-recipients/

American Society of Transplantation (AST): Living Liver Donor Medical Toolkit offers a series of chapters about specific aspects of living liver donor evaluation and experience.
- livingdonortoolkit.com/living-liver-medical-toolkit

National Liver Registry (NLR): Registry that outlines the process of donating through NLR and provides tools for finding a living liver donor.
- liverregistry.com/

Read or watch donor stories

Want to hear from others who have donated? Here are some places where you can learn about other people’s experiences:

The Living Donation Storytelling Project
- Hear real life stories on our website

Living Liver Foundation: Offers dozens of stories of living donor liver transplant recipients and their donors from around the country.
- livingliver.org/stories

American Liver Foundation (ALF): Read about the impact of liver donation from a donor and recipient perspective.
- livingdonornetwork.liverfoundation.org/donor-impact-stories

Donate Life: Watch stories from liver donors and recipients.
- donatelife.net/category/stories-of-hope/liver-donation/

Choose Donation: Read personal accounts from living liver donors, including why they decided to become donors, what they experienced during their donation journey, and how being a donor changed their lives.
- choosedonation.com/donors-blog/liver-donor-stories

Ask your questions through the American Liver Foundation (ALF) Help Line

If you have questions about liver wellness or liver disease or need information about support groups or financial resources, you can contact ALF:

Call: 800-465-4837 (800-GO-LIVER), English-only, Monday – Friday, 9am-4:30pm ET
Or send a message: American Liver Foundation support

Talk to a peer mentor through ALF Caring Connections

ALF can put you in touch with a living liver donor to talk with through their peer mentoring program. Contact Caring Connections:

Visit: ALF’s Caring Connections peer-to-peer support program.
Or call: 800-465-4837 (800-GO-LIVER), English-only, Monday – Friday, 9am-4:30pm ET

For transplant recipients: Connect with other transplant recipients

Sharing the Journey, an ALF support network for liver transplant recipients, provides an opportunity for you to connect with other transplant recipients. Through this group, you will be able to offer and receive support through the shared transplant experience.

All sessions will be facilitated by a licensed social worker. You must be age 18 or older to participate. There is no fee to join.

Find upcoming sessions on ALF's Sharing the Journey page

Find a transplant center

Find a transplant center near you

This online tool from The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients allows you to search for a transplant center in the U.S. based on organ type and location:

Find a transplant center in the U.S.

Note: This website states it is for recipients, but donors can search for transplant centers too.