Living Kidney Donor Program

Living Donor Coordinator

706-721-8560
Main phone number
706-721-2888

Living Kidney Donor Program

Become a Kidney Donor

When you become a living donor, you give a sick patient a second chance at life. Without your generosity and selflessness, many transplant patients would not have this opportunity.

Find out more about living donation from the United Network for Organ Sharing.

Donor Screening Form

AU Health makes donation convenient and safe

We take great care when evaluating you as a potential donor. Our aim is to ensure you are a good candidate and can resume a normal, healthy lifestyle after your donation. When you come to us:

There is no cost to be evaluated as a living donor.
Your donation surgery, hospital stay, and follow-up visit costs are covered.
You can complete some of your testing without coming to Augusta University Medical Center.

You'll be partnered with an donor advocate

You will be paired with an independent living donor advocate. A living donor advocate functions independently from the transplant team and solely represents a potential or living donor to ensure that all needs are met.

Your transplant team

Your care team consists of a donor nephrologist, transplant surgeon, living donor advocate, social worker, dietitian,and other specialists, working together throughout the evaluation and donation process.

Not a match? You can still donate!

Paired kidney donation is an option for patients who have a willing living donor, but the donor's kidney is not a match for the patient. We work with other organizations to create paired donor/recipient chains to find a match.

Donor Evaluation Process

The living kidney donor evaluation process is generally completed in four steps. Potential living donors may opt-out of the donation at any time, for any reason; this decision will be kept confidential.

Step 1: Compatibility testing

Can be completed without coming to Augusta University Medical Center, the testing includes:

Blood typing
Tissue compatibility
Antigen matching

Step 2: General health screening

Can be completed without coming to Augusta University Medical Center, these include:

Blood and urine tests will be performed to evaluate your kidney function and overall health.
Additional tests may be necessary after your medical records are reviewed.
After your lab results have been received and approved, you will be given the option of moving to the next step.

Step 3: Additional work-up

Imaging tests are another part of the screening, you will receive a:

Chest x-ray
EKG (electrocardiogram ) of the heart
CT scan
Any additional tests, as needed
Visits with the transplant team

Step 4: Donor conference

The case is discussed in a multidisciplinary meeting, called a “Donor Conference”, to determine your eligibility as a donor.