Multiple Listings for Kidney Transplant

Another thing they discussed at the Kidney Disease Support Group today was listing at multiple transplant centers, or just listing at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix for a shorter wait time. Even though the kidney wait list is national, kidney distribution is often local. Southern California has a long wait list due since there are lots of kidney patients and not enough donors. It’s especially bad for those with B blood type, like me. I was told the wait is from 6-10 years. I’ve also heard that the wait in Phoenix is only 3-4 years but you have to be reevaluate and accepted at a transplant center over there. Most people go with the Mayo Clinic. Even at today’s meeting, there were three people in the process of being listed at Mayo Clinic in Arizona even though there are lots of closer transplant centers. The only down side is that you have to travel there for a week of tests, then when a kidney becomes available, you need to stay in Phoenix for 6-8 weeks with a support person, no exceptions.

I think I’m going to wait until UCLA rejects both my current donors before considering listing at the Mayo Clinic. Since the result from a living donor is much better than from cadaver donor, I want to exhaust all living donor options first. The group also suggests sending out communication to all friends and family to look for a living donor. They suggest looking here for ideas on how to ask for a kidney. I’ve thought about this for a long time. My potential donors are my sister, and a high school friend that just volunteered without me asking. I would really struggle with asking for something this huge.