About This Program

The Living Kidney Donor Program is a specialty program within the Abdominal Transplant Center, the clinical partnership between Ascension Seton and UT Health Austin.

The Living Kidney Donor Program provides comprehensive care for adult patients (18 years and older) willing to be a living kidney donor. Only one donated kidney is needed to replace two failed kidneys, as it is possible to live a healthy life with one kidney. We work with you to develop a treatment plan specific to your needs to ensure you receive the highest level of specialized care and experience both a successful donation and a smooth transition to recovery. Your gift allows us to increase the quality and longevity of your kidney recipient’s life.

Treatment Approach

Transplanting a kidney from a healthy donor into a recipient patient with kidney failure is called living donation. Living kidney donations can come from a donor who is related or unrelated to the kidney recipient. Living kidney donors also have the option to participate in our paired kidney exchange program to help incompatible pairs of recipients/donors (pairs that do not match) find matches for a kidney transplant.

After your donation, you and your kidney recipient will receive ongoing care to minimize any potential complications and to help you fully recover. The Living Kidney Donor Program care team works closely with you before, during, and after your donation to ensure favorable outcomes.

Patients are cared for by a dedicated multidisciplinary care team, meaning you will benefit from the expertise of multiple specialists across a variety of disciplines. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained transplant surgeons have extensive experience in organ transplantation as well as the ongoing care for donors and work alongside a team of transplant experts, including transplant nephrologists, transplant coordinators, nurses, advanced practice providers, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, and more, providing unparalleled care for patients every step of the way.

Appointment Information

To be considered as a living kidney donor, you must first undergo a thorough medical evaluation, which can take up to several months to complete and may involve a variety of tests, including advanced imaging, chest x-rays, consultations, an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) test, laboratory testing, physical exams, stress tests, and more. These test results allow the Living Kidney Donor Program care team to determine your candidacy for kidney donation. Upon completion of testing, all results will be reviewed with you. To be considered for living kidney donation, please complete the online medical screening questionnaire.

For more information about the Living Kidney Donor Program, please call 1-512-324-7930. You can also fax referrals to 1-833-340-0748.

Learn More About the Benefits of Living Donation