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Living Donor Process

How the Living Donor process works:

1. We work up a potential living donor when the recipient (the person needing a kidney transplant) is on the national waiting list (listed).  For the recipient to be “listed” they have to go through a very thorough evaluation process at our transplant center and be approved to be healthy enough to get a kidney transplant. If you are an altruistic donor, we can begin your work-up without a specific recipient identified 
2. Some recipients have more than one person who wants to donate. We do medical testing on one donor at a time. We decide which donor to work up based on the potential donor suitability for donation and the completeness of their pre-evaluation screening.
3. At this time, we encourage you to join us for the Living Donor Education class:

• Join by WebEx 

4. We do require that all age-appropriate cancer screeningsareup to date PRIOR to beginning your medical testing. If not up to date, please get these appointments scheduled as soon as possible. Typically, people schedule these screenings through their primary care doctor. If you do not have a primary care doctor, we are happy to schedule these appointments at one of our UMMC locations. Additionally, there is free testing for pap smears and mammograms that can be done through the state of Mississippi​.  

• Pap smear ​– a screening test that looks for cervical cancer, needs to be done for all women 18 years of age and over
• Mammogram ​– a screening test that looks for breast cancer, ​needs to be done for all women 40 years of age and over
• Colonoscopy ​– for everyone 50 years of age and over
  
  Please send us the results of these tests via email to livingdonor@umc.edu or mail to UMMC Abdominal Transplant 2500 North State Street Jackson, MS 39216 

5. Our transplant financial counselors will verify that you have insurance to cover the evaluation, surgery, and appointments after surgery should you be approved to be a living donor. Your recipient’s insurance covers these costs.  
6. Completing the screening formis theinitial step to getting started.  Once completed in its entirety, one of our transplant doctors will review your information in one week. The physician will determine one of three things.  You will be able to:   

• Move forward with evaluation   
• Unable to move forward with evaluation or
• The transplant physician will request more information
  
  We will contact you with this update at that time.
  
  Please complete the Donor Screening form.

Feel free to contact us with any questions or if you need assistance at livingdonor@umc.edu or 601-984-5065.