Living Kidney Donor Program

Living Donor Coordinator

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

Living Kidney Donor Program

Become a Kidney Donor

Living donors give sick patients a second chance at life. Without their generosity and selflessness, many 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 life 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.

Donors get a multidisciplinary care team

Your care team, consisting of physicians, nurses, social workers, dietitians, and other specialties, works together throughout the evaluation and donation process.

You'll be partnered with an advocate

All living donors are paired with an independent living donor advocate. A living donor advocate functions independently from the transplant team and solely represents the potential or living donor, their interests, and ensures all needs are met.

Paired donation

Paired kidney donation is an option for patients who have a willing, but incompatible, donor. We work with other organizations to create paired donor/recipient chains.

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 of the heart
CT scan, and additional tests as needed.
Visits with the transplant team including donor nephrologist, transplant surgeon, living donor advocate, social worker, and dietitian.

Step 4: Donor conference

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