Living Organ Donation Reaches Record Highs in the United States

Here's a piece of genuinely good news: living organ donation in the United States reached a new high in 2023, with over 6,900 living donors — the most in the nation's history. After a family member needed a kidney transplant, I followed these numbers closely. Living donors, who most commonly donate a kidney or a portion of their liver, represent a growing share of all organ transplants and offer unique advantages over deceased donation. This is progress — but it's not enough when 17 people still die every day waiting.

Why Living Donation Matters

Organs from living donors generally function better and last longer than those from deceased donors. A kidney from a living donor lasts an average of 15-20 years, compared to 10-15 years from a deceased donor. Living donation also allows for planned, elective surgery — reducing the logistical chaos of deceased donation and resulting in better outcomes for both donor and recipient. And critically, living donation adds to the total organ supply without requiring someone to die.

"Every living donor kidney transplant does double duty: it saves the recipient's life and opens a spot on the deceased donor waiting list for someone else." — National Kidney Foundation

Kidney Paired Donation

One of the biggest drivers of the increase in living donation has been kidney paired donation (KPD), also known as kidney exchange. In KPD, incompatible donor-recipient pairs are matched with other pairs to create compatible swaps. Chains of paired donations can involve dozens of transplants triggered by a single altruistic donor. In 2023, paired donation programs facilitated hundreds of transplants that would not have been possible through direct donation alone.

Reducing Barriers

The growth in living donation also reflects efforts to reduce barriers for donors. Many states have passed legislation providing living donors with job protections, insurance coverage, and reimbursement for expenses like travel and lodging. The National Living Donor Assistance Center, funded by HRSA, provides financial assistance to donors who cannot afford the costs associated with donation. These programs have made living donation accessible to a broader population. It proves what I keep saying: when you fix the system, not individuals, good things happen.

"The biggest barrier to living donation isn't willingness — it's the financial and logistical burden. When we remove those barriers, more people step forward." — American Society of Transplant Surgeons

YCOD Supports Living Donation

While our primary advocacy at YCOD focuses on opt-out legislation for deceased donation — specifically Bill A07954 — I personally champion efforts to expand living donation too. Living donors are heroes who choose to undergo major surgery to save a stranger's life. We highlight living donor stories in our campaigns and I make sure our members understand this option. This isn't just about one path to saving lives — it's about every path. Every additional living donor transplant is one more life saved, one more family whole. Changing the default saves lives, and so does making living donation easier.