Give a Kidney

Most (but not all) people are born with two kidneys and we only need one. However many people for many different reasons are left without any properly functioning kidneys and end up on the transplant list waiting for a kidney. There are thousands of people on the list at any given time and sadly every year hundreds of people die waiting for a kidney. Often whilst waiting for a kidney people are on dialysis which pretty much takes over their lives and which can make simple little things most of us take for granted difficult. 

The charity exists to:

• Raise awareness of living kidney donation - primarily non-directed donation (giving your kidney to a stranger)
• Support those individuals who are thinking about / become / have been non-directed living kidney donors
• Influence change in the field of living kidney donation

Why the need for the charity:

• As of October 2021 there were just over 4600 people waiting for a kidney transplant across the UK (this is by far the largest number on any transplant list) plus there were a further 271 waiting for both a kidney and pancreas transplants
• The average time spent on the waiting list for a kidney is around 3 years
• Around 250 patients die each year whilst waiting for a kidney
• The survival rate from living donation is higher than from deceased donation 
• <1% of people die in circumstances where their organs are suitable for transplant hence the need for more living donors

Find out more at www.giveakidney.org