Fact: Becoming a living donor is a selfless act. As a living donor, all your medical costs are covered by the recipient’s insurance. This also includes all expenses related to the donor process.

However, there are non-medical expenses that may come up such as childcare, travel and lodging for out-of-town donors. Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital work with our social work and finance teams to help alleviate some of these costs that may come up.

Fact: By the time your will is read, or doctors see your driver’s license or donor card, it may be too late to recover your organs and/or tissue. Telling your family that you want to be an organ and tissue donor and enrolling in the Organ and Tissue Donor Registry is the best way to ensure that your wishes are carried out.

Fact: You can donate a kidney to someone you know and love or a stranger. You can donate a kidney through certain transplant centers, including the Transplant Center at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Fact: Anyone can be a potential organ and tissue donor regardless of age, race, demographics or medical history. If you decide to become a living donor, you undergo an extensive assessment to ensure that you are aware of the risks. You also undergo testing to determine if your kidneys are in good shape and if you can live a healthy life with just one kidney