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Living Donor Coordinator Office:
(028) 9504 3872
DonateLife@belfasttrust.hscni.net

Recipient Coordinator Office:
(028) 9504 3079
transplant.coordinator@belfasttrust.hscni.net

I want to give a kidney to stranger who needs a transplant

More and more people in the UK are volunteering to give a kidney although they do not know anyone in particular who needs a kidney. Giving a kidney for a stranger is known as ‘non-directed altruistic kidney donation’ and the person is called an ‘altruistic’ donor. The first person in NI to do this donated in June 2011, and over the next 4 years a further 14 followed suit! The number of people volunteering is growing every year. Click here to read a Sunday Telegraph story and here to read a discussion on this topic in the Guardian.

The assessment process, re-imbursement, operation and recovery are the same as for any donor. The only difference is that all altruistic donors have a psychological assessment to ensure they have carefully considered the whole process. When there is a strong family or emotional tie with the person needing the kidney transplant it can be easier to go through the process, and of benefit to see the improvement that the gift of life has made after the operation. The process therefore for altruistic donors deliberately take a little longer to allow time for reflection on the implications of donation. Happily all of those who have donated have been glad they did so!

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There is no doubt, whichever path is chosen, that an altruistic donor kidney will make a massive impact on someone, along with their family, friends and colleagues. It is hard to over-estimate the benefits an altruistic donor brings to others.