Living Kidney Donation

The first living organ transplant in BC was performed in 1976, when a mother donated a kidney to her daughter. Since then, hundreds of living transplants have occurred. Sine 1999 more kidney patients have received transplants from living donors then those transplanted from deceased donors.

How do I become a living donor?

If you are interested in receiving more information about becoming a living donor please call one of the two living donor kidney programs in BC: Vancouver General Hospital: 604-875-5182; St. Paul's Hospital: 604-806-9027.

The Living Donor Kidney Program at BC Transplant is expanding to meet the growing needs of the kidney transplant wait list. Over 300 patients are currently waiting for a kidney transplant, and thousands of patients with chronic kidney disease are currently on dialysis treatment. Traditionally live kidney donor transplants have been from a living related donor; this practice has evolved to include donors who have a pre-existing relationship with the recipient, and now to a pilot program researching living anonymous donors.

Over 800 live donor kidney transplants have taken place in BC since 1976. 1999 was the first year that the number of kidney transplants from living donors outweighed the number from cadaveric donors. While the number of cadaveric donors has plateaued, BCT continues to see an annual increase in the number of living kidney donor transplants (see current transplant statistics).

BC Transplant, in partnership with the Kidney Foundation of Canada have introduced the Live Organ Donor Expense Reimbursement Program. This is the first program of its kind in North America, designed to reimburse donors for costs directly related to the donation process, helping break down one of the barriers to living donation.

Programs include:

Paired Kidney Exchange Program

Living Anonymous Donation (LAD)

Live Organ Donor Expense Reimbursement Program