--- title: "Living Kidney Donation | Become a Donor | Sutter Health" description: "Explore being a match for living kidney donation. As an organ donor, you can save a life today. We guide every donor through testing, surgery and recovery." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/living-kidney-donation" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/services) / 3. Living kidney donor ![A happy couple embracing, showing the positive, life-saving impact of being a match as an organ donor.](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/SutterHealth/Images/Hero-Images/living-kidney-donation.jpg?h=2100&iar=0&w=3150) # Living kidney donation Your generosity could save someone’s life. Living kidney donation can greatly improve recipients' outcomes, including significantly shorter wait times and longer-lasting kidneys. [Begin questionnaire](https://cpmckidneydonor.org/) ![A happy couple embracing, showing the positive, life-saving impact of being a match as an organ donor.](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/SutterHealth/Images/Hero-Images/living-kidney-donation.jpg?h=2100&iar=0&w=3150) ## Why choose Sutter? Thousands of people in our community face a five- to nine-year wait for a transplant. By becoming a living donor, you could provide a faster, healthier path forward to someone in need. Living-donor kidneys often work immediately and last an average of 15 to 20 years. We know exploring being a match is a big step. That’s why we guide you through the entire process, from a free evaluation to your long-term recovery. We schedule surgeries around your life, and our team is focused entirely on your well-being. Since 1969, the transplant team at Sutter's CPMC has performed more than 10,000 organ transplants. Today, we’re at the forefront of innovation, pioneering multi-kidney swaps and leading the way in minimally invasive, robotic transplant surgery for a faster, easier recovery. When you select us, you choose a center with outcomes that consistently meet or exceed national standards. We’re proud to be named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Specialized Care in 2025 and recognized by Healthgrades for our exceptional patient experience.  Become a living kidney donor ### 1 Learn the basics ### 2 [Apply online](https://cpmckidneydonor.org/ "Apply online") ### 3 Get an evaluation ### 4 Decide if it's right for you ### What to know - Your evaluation is covered by your recipient's insurance - Our team works with you on options for support with other expenses - Applying is not a commitment — it’s a conversation - You can choose to stop at any point ### Support along the way - A dedicated team by your side - Clear information to help guide your decision - Complete privacy from start to finish - An independent advocate just for you ### Your health after donation - You can live a long, healthy life with one kidney - Most donors return to normal activities 4 to 6 weeks after surgery - Many people are back to work in 4 to 6 weeks ## Getting started Take the first step — start your confidential donor questionnaire. There's no commitment to donate. [Begin questionnaire](https://cpmckidneydonor.org/) ## Treatments - [Kidney transplant](https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/kidney-transplant) - Kidney Transplant Consultation ![kidney-2a](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/SutterHealth/Images/kidney-2a.jpg?h=1107&iar=0&w=1660) ## Proven transplant outcomes  When you donate, you want to know your gift will truly make an impact. We consistently rank among the nation’s top programs for kidney transplant success, with our outcomes publicly reported through the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) and United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS).  ## Patient stories [View all stories](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) - [Patient story ### Transforming Lives Through Transplant Innovation ](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/transforming-lives-through-transplant-innovation-2023453238) - [Patient story ### Second Transplant Brings Hope and Energy Back to Young Mom ](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/second-transplant-brings-hope-and-energy-back-to-young-mom-2023453255) - [Patient story ### Leaving a Legacy of Love and Hope: Organ Donors Remembered ](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/leaving-a-legacy-of-love-and-hope-organ-donors-remembered-2023563925) [View all stories](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) ## Frequently asked questions **What are the requirements for donating a kidney?** We’ll perform a series of screenings and evaluations to determine if you’re a candidate for kidney donation, including: 1. An [online health history questionnaire](https://cpmckidneydonor.org/ "online health history questionnaire") to determine if you’re eligible. This requires your weight and height. If you’re an acceptable donor, we’ll contact you with next steps, including labs and/or additional tests.   2. If you're an eligible candidate, our team will schedule a two-day donor evaluation at CPMC in San Francisco, including a medical exam, psychosocial consultation, chest X-ray, EKG (heart test), routine blood and urine tests, and blood compatibility testing. 3. A complete blood compatibility workup to determine your ABO blood typing and crossmatch testing. After your two-day evaluation, our multidisciplinary team will review your results to determine if you qualify for living donation. Once we've completed our evaluation, we'll connect with you to discuss next steps. **What’s the referral process for a living kidney donation?**  For recipients, the path to finding a living donor involves a few key steps: 1. Working with you nephrologist or primary care provider for a referral to our transplant team. 2. Complete your kidney transplant evaluation with our multidisciplinary team. 3. Share your story to start looking for a living donor. For donors, getting started is easy — simply fill out our [online health history questionnaire](https://cpmckidneydonor.org/ "online health history questionnaire") to begin your free, confidential evaluation.  **Who pays if you donate a kidney?** The recipient's health insurance covers your medical expenses for the evaluation and surgery. However, there are a few other costs to keep in mind: - **Routine health screenings:** Standard preventive care, like a mammogram or colonoscopy, is billed to your own health insurance. - **Time off work:** Plan for lost wages if you don't have sick time, vacation or short-term disability available. - **Travel and lodging:** You are responsible for travel costs, but we can connect you with programs that offer financial assistance. If you have any challenges with the financial aspects of donation, our team is here to support you in finding resources and applying to assistance funds. **How long is recovery for a living kidney donor?**  Living donors typically spend one to two nights in the hospital. Most donors can return to their normal activities within four to six weeks. Recovery may take longer for physically demanding jobs.  **What are the kidney donation risks for a donor?**   There are limited and well-defined risks to donating a kidney. Most donors live long, healthy lives and return to their normal activities within four to six weeks post-surgery. **What if I'm not a match for the person I want to donate to?**  There are many factors that go into making sure a donor and recipient are a good match. Blood type compatibility is only one factor and our goal is to match recipients with the most optimal donor. If you’re not a compatible match, our team will find the best match through a process known as paired kidney donation. ## Helpful resources [American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)](https://aakp.org/center-for-patient-research-and-education/kidney-transplantation/ "American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP)") [Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation](https://paireddonation.org/ "Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation") [Living kidney donation booklet (PDF)](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/sutterhealt962c-sutterhealt8fce-production57cc-4860/media/Project/SutterHealth/SutterHealth/PDF/health/living-kidney-donation.pdf "Living Kidney Donation Booklet (PDF)") [National Kidney Foundation](https://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors/general-information-living-donation "National Kidney Foundation") [National Living Donor Assistance Center](http://www.livingdonorassistance.org/ "National Living Donor Assistance Center") [United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)](https://unos.org/transplant/living-donation/ "United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)") ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/living-kidney-donation#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/living-kidney-donation","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/services/living-kidney-donation#breadcrumblist"},"name":"Living kidney donation at Sutter Health","description":"Explore being a match for living kidney donation. 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The software is now used at medical centers across the U.S. and internationally","duration":"PT36S","transcript":"DAVID JACOBS: Dozens of people die\nevery day waiting for a kidney.\nWilling but incompatible donors were sent home every day.\nI suffered on dialysis for several years.\nSo I really didn't want anybody else\nto have to suffer like I did.\nI thought it was an enterprise software problem.\nSo I thought, well, why don't I just built the software myself?\nBut I knew I had to partner.\nSTEVEN KATZNELSON MD: It changed everything.\nIt's really helped a lot of my patients\nin ways that 10 years ago I had no idea\nwe'd be able to accomplish.\nMELIDA: It was a good experience.\nTERRY: One of the most powerful experiences\nI've had in my life."} ```