Frequently asked questions about living donation

You can live well with one healthy kidney. The remaining kidney partially takes over the work of the removed kidney. Your total kidney function will then be about 65 to 75 percent of what it was when you had two kidneys. That is more than enough. Most people who have donated a kidney notice no difference at all compared to when they still had two kidneys. You also do not need to take medication or follow a diet.

If someone donates a part of their liver, it grows back within about six weeks. The liver then functions normally again, just like before the surgery. During a liver donation, the surgeon also removes the gallbladder. The gallbladder helps with the digestion of fats. You can live well without a gallbladder, but sometimes you may need to adjust your diet.

In the Netherlands, you are not allowed to earn money from donating a kidney or part of your liver.Living donation must always be voluntary and without payment. You are also not allowed to receive large gifts for the donation.

You can, however, receive reimbursement for expenses if you donate an organ while alive. You will be reimbursed for the costs you incur before and after the surgery. Think, for example, of travel expenses or extra childcare. The donor can request this expense reimbursementfrom the Dutch Transplant Foundation.

Living donation has advantages and disadvantages. It is important that you know this before you decide whether you want to donate an organ.Read more about the pros and cons.

Exactly how long it takes to recover after donating a kidney while alive varies per person. As a donor, you must take it easy for the first few weeks and avoid physical work. For example, you are not allowed to lift things and you will need help at home. On average, donors are mostly recovered six weeks after the surgery. Fatigue symptoms can persist longer; this varies greatly per person. It often takes one to three months before you feel like yourself again, just like before the donation.

The medical team at the hospital can tell you more about recovery after the donation.

If you, as a kidney donor, later need a donor kidney yourself, you will be given priority on the waiting list for a kidney from a deceased donor.Just like for any other patient, you will only be placed on the waiting list if tests show that a transplant is possible. This rule only applies to kidney donations made in countries affiliated with Eurotransplant.

If you want to donate a kidney or part of your liver while living, you must meet certain requirements. You must also be healthy enough to undergo surgery. For more information on how to become a living donor, you can contact an academic hospital in your area.