Kidney Donation in Alaska

Alaskans Saving the Lives of Alaskans

Give the Gift of Life Through Living Kidney Donation

Every year, many Alaskans wait—and hope—for a kidney transplant. By becoming a living donor, or by registering as an organ donor, you can change someone’s story today.

Too many people are waiting.

Kidney disease affects thousands of Alaskans, and many face the long wait for a transplant. For some, that wait can take years. Dialysis keeps them alive, but it isn’t a cure. Without a transplant, hope feels out of reach.

You can change that story.

Living donation offers patients a second chance at life—without years of waiting. By donating one of your kidneys, you can:

  • Shorten or eliminate wait time for a transplant.

  • Improve the recipient’s quality of life.

  • Offer them freedom from dialysis and more years with loved ones.

What is Living Kidney Donation?

Most people are born with two kidneys, but only need one to live a healthy, active life. A living donor chooses to give one kidney to a patient whose kidneys have failed.

  • Who Can Donate? Healthy adults ages 18 and older may be considered. A full medical evaluation ensures the donor is safe and healthy to give.

  • How Long Does It Last? A kidney from a living donor lasts an average of 15–20 years, often longer than a kidney from a deceased donor.

The Process of Living Donation

  1. Evaluation: Donors go through medical and psychological testing to make sure donation is safe.

  2. Surgery: The donor surgery is usually minimally invasive and lasts a few hours. Donors typically stay in the hospital for 2–3 days.

  3. Recovery: Most donors return to work and normal activities within 4–6 weeks.

  4. Long-Term Health: Donors can live full, active lives with one kidney. Studies show no reduction in life expectancy.

Benefits of Living Donation

  • Gives the recipient a transplant faster.

  • Allows surgery to be scheduled at a convenient time.

  • Usually provides better outcomes than deceased donation.

  • Reduces time on dialysis, leading to better health and quality of life.

Talk to your family. Register your decision.

One of the most important steps in donation is making sure your loved ones know your wishes. Even if you are registered as an organ donor, your family will likely be asked to confirm your choice.

Here’s how you can make sure your decision is honored:

  • Talk with your family – Tell them clearly that you want to be a donor.

  • Register officially – You can add “Organ Donor” to your Alaska driver’s license or state ID.

  • Join the national registry – Sign up with Donate Life or other official registries to make your choice legally binding.

By sharing your wishes, you remove uncertainty for your family and ensure your gift of life can be carried out.

Living Kidney Donation: Share Your Spare

Organ and tissue donation and transplantation provide a second chance at life for thousands of people each year. You have the opportunity to be one of the individuals who make these miracles happen. Living kidney donors give their loved one or friend an alternative to the national transplant waiting list for an organ from a deceased donor.

“A living donor can save and/or greatly improve the quality of life of a transplant candidate. However, you should only make a decision about donating an organ after you are fully informed of the possible risks and benefits.”

If you are considering the possibility of donating a kidney, please take the time to learn about the donation process—because everyone’s experience is different. The AKPA recommends you check out the information found at:

Transplant Living (a service of UNOS)

A comprehensive transplant site covering before the transplant, living donation, after transplant, community, resources, and pediatrics information.

Seattle Transplant Centers

85% of Alaskan kidney transplants are performed at one of the three transplant centers in Seattle. (Listed in Alpha order)

Why be a Donor?

Unfortunately, thousands die every year waiting for a donor organ that never comes. You have the power to change that—by sharing your intention to be an organ donor.

Fast Facts About Being A Living Kidney Donor

Would a fellow Alaskan benefit from my living kidney donation?

Yes, there are approximately 150 Alaskans waiting for a kidney transplant but in the last ten years, an average of only 30 Alaskans have received a kidney transplant each year.

Who can be a living donor?

If you’re in good health and 18 years or older (even over 70) you may be able to donate a kidney to your child, your spouse, your friend, anybody. Donors do not have to be the same race, age, or sex as the kidney patient. The AKPA recommends you check out the information from UNOS about transplants at transplantliving.org

Who's Alaska's oldest living kidney donor?

Judie was 69 years old when she donated.

Don’t people need 2 kidneys to live?

No. One healthy kidney can do the work of two. Over time, the remaining kidney grows larger to handle the workload.

What if I want to donate to a loved one but we’re not a match?

You may qualify for a paired kidney exchange, where donors and recipients are matched with others in the same situation.

What kind of tests are required?

It starts with an online health questionnaire, then blood tests (often done locally).

Who pays for donation expenses?

Usually, the recipient’s insurance covers testing and surgery. Some extra costs may be supported by local or national resources.

How long does the donor evaluation process take?

Several months, depending on health and test scheduling. The goal is to ensure donation is safe for you.

What is the surgery like?

Most are laparoscopic, using 2–4 small incisions. Benefits include smaller scars, shorter recovery, and fewer complications.

How much time off work is needed?

Most donors stay in the hospital for 2 days, then recover for 4–6 weeks before returning to normal activities.

Where is the surgery done?

Because Alaska has no transplant center, 95% of Alaskans go to transplant centers in Seattle. If donating to someone specific, surgery is done at their registered center.

What if my remaining kidney fails later?

Living donors receive high priority on the national kidney waitlist, and most get a transplant quickly if they ever need one.

How do I start the process?

If donating to someone you know, talk with them about which transplant center they’re registered with. If you’re interested in donating to any Alaskan in need, contact AKPA to begin.

What do other donors say?

Nearly 95% of living donors say they wouldn’t change their decision. In 2016, almost 6,000 transplants in the U.S. were made possible by living donors.

Next Steps

If you are interested in learning more, the Alaska Kidney Patients Association will be glad to provide you with more information or connect you with a living kidney donor to answer your questions.

Without living donors, patients keep waiting.

Every day, Alaskans are tethered to dialysis machines, waiting for a match that might not come for years. Living donation—and registering your wishes—ends that wait and gives them a future.

Be the reason someone gets a second chance.

When you choose to become a living donor—or when you register your wishes after death—you don’t just give a kidney. You give more birthdays, more family dinners, more moments that matter.

Ready to take the next step?

Living kidney donation is a life-changing gift. Talk with your family, register your decision, and discover how you can save a life.