DonorConnect is honored to work with our local transplant centers and includes living donation opportunities in our community outreach and educational programs.
Good Samaritan Living Donation – Living donors, not knowing the recipient of their gift, make their donation purely out of selfless motives. This type of donation is also referred to as anonymous or non-directed donation. Recipients are those at the top of the local wait list.
Living liver donation involves removing part of a person’s healthy liver and using it replace a recipient’s liver. The liver of the donor regrows to its original size and will work normally within 6 months.
University of Utah’s Living Kidney Program
Intermountain Health Care Living Donation Program
Paired Kidney Donation – Consists of two donors who are incompatible with their intended recipients. The two recipients swap donors so that each can receive a compatible kidney. Once the evaluations of all donors and recipients are completed, the two donations and transplants are scheduled simultaneously.
Kidney List Donation – A live donor is incompatible with the intended recipient and donates to the waiting list. In return, the intended recipient advances on the waiting list, receiving a kidney much more quickly.
The National Kidney Donation Organization (NKDO) is an organization of Living Donors who help mentor those looking to donate a kidney as well as helping those who are in need of a kidney transplant. NKDO provides education and information to prospective living kidney donors. If you are interested in learning more about living kidney donation, please visit their website at www.nkdo.org
American Red Cross - www.redcrossblood.org
The American Red Cross hosts eleven mobile blood drives across the state each business day, as well as maintaining donor centers in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Orem, and St. George. Donation hours vary by location. Call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE for more information
ARUP Blood Services - www.utahblood.org
Your local, independent blood center proudly serving:
There are more than 40 hospitals in Utah but these four alone use around 25-percent of the blood in the state. ARUP serves the only two children’s hospitals in Utah and blood for babies must be less than five days old. This creates an ongoing need for fresh blood everyday of the year. ARUP needs 100 whole blood donors a day and 20 platelet donors a day. Join the “Blood Donors for Babies” club, or find out other ways you can save lives by donating platelets or hosting a blood drive at your church, school, business, or community organization.
United Blood Services - www.untiedbloodservices.org
Each year, approximately 30,000 patients in the U.S. will be diagnosed with life-threatening diseases such as leukemia, which are treatable by a marrow or stem cell transplant. Just one in three will find a donor match within their family. If you would like to help, join the National Marrow Donor Program Registry — all it takes is a simple blood test. Anyone between the ages of 18-60 and in good general health can join the registry. https://bethematch.org/
DonorConnect’s Family Support Coordinators and staff are with the family throughout the donation process guiding and supporting them.
“A Guide for Families" booklet was created as an additional resource given to families with explanations about the donation processes, timelines, and resources to help them grieve.
