Donating a kidney is a big decision, and it's a decision people shouldn't take lightly. Fortunately for our mom, several people - friends and family members, and even some wonderful strangers who answered a Craigslist post - have offered to donate a kidney to her - and to them we are truly grateful. However, none of these donors are a match for Trish - meaning her body would reject their kidney due to blood type incompatibility, tissue typing mismatch or the donor's own health condition (high blood pressure, emphysema, etc.).
It's not exactly common knowledge that people can live healthy lives with one kidney. This great article from the Grand Rapids Press is a shining example of one woman's gift to a person she barely knew - a kidney to the parent of her child's classmate. On Sept. 6, both the donor and the recipient participated in a triathlon - running, biking and swimming - each with one of her kidneys.
http://www.mlive.com/grandrapids/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-43/1220163352149230.xml&coll=6
But, more specific information - such as long-term effects to the donor and a Q & A are available from the National Kidney Foundation:
http://www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingDonors/infoQA.cfm?id=6#6c
From everything I've read and heard, the long-term effects and health risks of donating a kidney are fairly simple and straightforward: you may have a slightly increased risk of high blood pressure later in life, and a 3 in 100,000 chance of dying in surgery. Aside from that, your one remaining kidney grows larger to compensate for the loss of the donated kidney, and you still have 100 percent kidney function.
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