Living Donor Experience Research

Background & Purpose

In 2025, NKDO conducted a national survey to examine the lived experiences of living kidney donors across the United States.

Living kidney donors play a critical role in addressing the national kidney shortage, yet their experiences navigating evaluation, donation, and recovery vary widely.

Despite donating a life-saving organ, there is limited systematic, donor-centered data on donor satisfaction and experiences throughout their journey. Recognizing what affects donor satisfaction is crucial to improving transplant center practices, enhancing donor care, strengthening donor protections, and maintaining living donor programs.

Guiding Research Question

How do living kidney donors perceive the knowledge, support, and options provided to them throughout the evaluation, donation, and recovery process, and what insights do their experiences offer for improving support and resources for future donors?

Translating donor experiences into actionable improvements in donor care and advocacy

This project is unique in the following ways:

• A chance to strengthen transplant center practices and donor resources.
• Each living kidney donor transforms a life—yet their own experiences navigating donation vary widely.
• Advocates for policies that protect and empower living donors.
• Ensures donor voices shape the future of living kidney donation