Travel/Distance bt Donor & Recipient

[kmlynch76]

Does the surgery have to be done at the same hospital for the donor and recipient? I just started the process of becoming a donor for a friend of a friend but the recipient is about 700 miles away. Would love to hear from people in a similar situation and how it was handled. Thank you!!

[LivingDonor2003 NKF Ambassador NKF Peer Mentor]

I donated 1000 miles from where I live so both procedures were in the same hospital. I have heard and read of operations where the donor is in one hospital and the recipient in is another. The kidney is flown in between the two places.

700 miles is not that far so if I had the ability I would choose to go to the same facility that the recipient is in.

[kmlynch76 in reply to LivingDonor2003]

Ok, thank you for your response!

[AMHulstine]

I’ve heard of the kidney being flown before also. I know of someone fromFL who donated to someone in PA and the kidney was flown up. I live near my recipient so I donated at the same hospital.

[DSKdonor NKF Ambassador]

I also donated in the same hospital as my recipient. Although it is VERY possible to be far away in different hospitals, the less time a kidney is out of a human body the better for it overall. 700 miles might be close enough 'not to matter', and that's a medical question I can not answer. You also have to consider what's best for YOU as the donor. If it's better for you to have surgery close to your home, then that's where you should be -- your recipient will be happy with you no matter where you donate!!!

[A_Cuozzo]

I donated in NY and my recipient was in CA. My kidney was flown to her. Good luck!

[KarenHope]

My recipient is on the other coast of America. His insurance pays for everything, except the travel tickets. We thought the tickets would be paid for and in some cases it may be; only I've forgotten what those cases might be. His side is paying for the tickets as they are a bit better off in that way. Better to be in the same hospital as the kidney goes directly into the donar who is waiting with open arms and torso.