This World Kidney Day on March 11, 2010, living donors are encouraged to love their scars, and see them as a symbol of the life that they have shared with someone else.
Until now, South Africa has been a world leader in the field of transplantation, but the rate of organ donation is decreasing, and fast according to the Organ Donor Foundation of South Africa . The area of ‘living donation' is constantly growing though, and due to developments in the medical field, other organs including the lung, liver and pancreas can also be donated along with kidneys.
The costly alternative to kidney transplantation is dialysis, which can cost of up to R80 000 a year excluding medication, and in severe cases, a patient with end-stage renal failure could be on dialysis for the rest of his or her life - Health24.
According to the US National Kidney Foundation, living donation does not change life expectancy, and does not appear to increase the risk of kidney failure either. In general, most people with a single normal kidney have few or no problems; and in fact, the single kidney will increase in size to compensate for the loss of the donated kidney.
Did you know?
- Kidney failure in South African adults is mainly due to inherited Hypertension (60-65%) or Type 2 Diabetes (another 20-25%).4
- The length of stay in the hospital, though dependent on the type of procedure performed and the individual donor's rate of recovery, is usually 4-6 days.
- Pregnancy is possible after donation but not recommended for 6 months afterwards.
- The size and location of your scar will depend on the type of operation you have.
For more information on how to register to be an organ donor, go to the Organ Donor Foundation of South Africa at www.odf.org.za or call toll free 0800 22 66 11.
