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Multi-Organ Transplant
Living Donor Program
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Transplantation can not occur without the generosity of others. Thank you for considering becoming a living organ donor and for taking the time to review this information about living organ donation. Living donation is when someone who is living gives either a kidney or a part of their liver (donor) to someone with end-stage kidney or liver disease (recipient). Research shows that living donation can be one of life’s greatest experiences and results for recipients are equivalent, or better, to deceased donation. Living donation is not for everyone, but by knowing the facts, you can decide if this option is the right choice for you.
The donor’s primary goal should be to help the recipient. Living donation must be a voluntary choice without external pressure, coercion, or material gain.
For living organ donation to proceed, there must be agreement between the donor, recipient, and the medical team. Unusual ethical issues may be taken to the Transplant Ethics Committee for review and advice. For more information on our ethical framework guiding living donation, please see the ‘Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation of Living Organ Donors’ section.
Assessment
The safety of the people who come forward to donate is of utmost importance. The donor will undergo testing to ensure they are physically and psychologically able to withstand the donation surgery. A team of doctors and nurses designated to caring for living donors will review the test results and determine whether a donor is suitable for surgery.
Currently, UHN has two living donor programs: Kidney and Liver. Living kidney donation started in the 1960s. Living liver donation started in the 1990s but was initially restricted to adults donating to a sick child. In 2000 our philosophy changed and living liver donation was offered to adults. UHN has now performed over 300 living liver donation surgeries making the program the largest in North America.
Donor Manuals
For more information about becoming either a kidney or liver organ donor, please read the corresponding donor manual. It will provide information about testing, risks and approximate timelines for testing and recovery.
Becoming a Living Donor
If you are interested in being assessed as a potential donor, please fill out the health history and mail or fax it to our office along with a lab copy of your blood type or photocopy of a blood donor card. If you are wanting to be a liver donor, please also complete the documentation of the decision to be assessed for liver donation form and send that with your health history.
The living donor program coordinators will review your information and any suitable potential donors will be contacted by our office.
Toronto General Hospital
Living Donor Assessment Office
585 University Avenue
NCSB-12C 1217
Toronto, ON M5G 2N2
Fax (416) 340-4317
In accordance with the Ontario Human Tissue Gift Act, The University Health Network and the Multi-Organ Transplant Program do not support or accept payment of any kind for organs for transplantation. It is against the law to buy, sell or otherwise deal in, directly or indirectly, any tissue for transplant, or any body part or parts of the body for therapeutic purposes, medical education or scientific research.
If at any time you are approached by a person to purchase or sell an organ for transplantation, please immediately contact: Patient Relations at The Toronto General Hospital, UHN at (416) 340-4907.
