For patients with type 1 diabetes and end-stage kidney disease, a simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant eliminates the need for dialysis and insulin injections by restoring insulin production and curing diabetes. Some people with type 2 diabetes may also be eligible.

For nearly four decades, 49-year-old Nakia Odom of Phoenix lived with type 1 diabetes, a disease that slowly took more than his health. It took his independence, his mobility and the tap dancing that once defined him.

Nakia was taught tap dancing by his grandmother, and it became an early passion. He even got to dance with tap legend Savion Glover at the Apollo Theater in New York. But a diabetes diagnosis at age 13 forced him to shift his focus from the stage to his health.

"Diabetes was livable at first," Nakia says. "But as I got older, it took more and more." As he approached his mid-20s, his health began to deteriorate. He had to give up tap dancing and eventually, playing football and basketball.

Diabetes to kidney failure

By his mid‑40s, diabetes-related complications had led to kidney failure. Nakia began dialysis at age 46, endured multiple surgeries, lost a toe to infection and developed sepsis, leaving him unable to walk or bear weight on his feet for months.

Nakia leaned into his faith. He also began to explore kidney-pancreas transplantation — but his case was too complex for most transplant centers.

That changed when he was referred to Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where transplant teams specialize in caring for patients others may turn away. Mayo Clinic is a leader in kidney–pancreas transplantation, with outcomes that meet and often exceed national averages. The team is also advancing the field through innovations such as robotic-assisted transplants, using minimally invasive techniques to support complex procedures.

Watch: Kidney-Pancreas transplant restores life without diabetes, the Nakia Odom story

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:21) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Last spring, Nakia received a simultaneous kidney–pancreas transplant. "The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that the brain fog was gone," he says. "I wasn't in pain. And every day since, it's gotten better."

Now, one year post‑transplant, Nakia no longer needs insulin or dialysis. He's active again and has returned to tap dancing for the first time since 2001.

"My goal was always to dance again," Nakia says. "Dancing is how I connect with God."

Organ donors

His story reflects both the promise and the urgency of organ donation. More than 90,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a kidney transplant, and around 2,500 are on the list for kidney–pancreas transplants. For many, the wait can stretch three to five years or longer. 

Nakia is deeply aware of the gift he received. "I pray for the donor's family every day," he says. "Their loss gave me my life back. Without their sacrifice, I might not be here today."

Now, the sound of Nakia's second chance is the rhythm of his tap shoes touching the floor once again — showing how his transplant didn't just restore his health; it gave him back something he deeply loved. 

"This is the best thing that's ever happened in my life," he says.

Related posts:

• Mayo Clinic Transplant performs record 2,065 organ transplants in 2025
• Robotic kidney transplant, when innovation meets family (VIDEO)
• How innovation is shaping the future of transplant care (VIDEO)
• Mayo Clinic Minute: What to expect as a living kidney donor

The post Kidney-pancreas transplant gives tap dancer new life without diabetes (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — In a study published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation Open (JHLT Open), Mayo Clinic researchers found that remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a feasible and effective way to detect early health changes and support care decisions for lung transplant recipients during their first year after discharge from the hospital.

Lung transplant recipients require intensive, ongoing monitoring after transplant to detect complications such as rejection or infection.

"Many of these patients live far from the transplant center, making frequent in-person follow-up challenging," says Cassie Kennedy, M.D., co-senior author and medical director of the lung transplant program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. "In recent years, we have transplanted patients from 25 states, including Hawaii. RPM allows us to stay closely connected to our patients — no matter where they live — after they return home and respond quickly when changes occur."

While remote patient monitoring has shown benefits in other patient populations, evidence in lung transplant recipients has been limited.

Throughout the 12-month study, researchers monitored 116 lung transplant recipients who lived a median distance of 234 miles from Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Patients used a home device kit to track symptoms and physiological data, including lung function, vital signs and weight, with results transmitted to their electronic health record and care team.

When abnormal values were detected, alerts were generated and reviewed by the clinical team to determine next steps. In total, nearly 470 alerts were triggered during the study. Most alerts were managed with continued monitoring, while about 1 in 4 prompted changes in care, including earlier clinic visits, diagnostic testing, medication adjustments or emergency evaluation.

"Just as important, when no abnormalities are detected, patients can be reassured and remain at home," says Dr. Kennedy.

Nearly half of hospitalizations among patients with available monitoring data were preceded by an RPM alert within the prior week, suggesting the system may help identify early signs of clinical deterioration and support earlier intervention.

"This study shows that a multiparameter, at-home monitoring approach can be successfully implemented in a high-risk population and generate actionable data to support clinical care," says Ali El Mokahal, M.D., first author and pulmonary and critical care medicine fellow at Mayo Clinic.

In addition to supporting earlier detection, the program demonstrated strong patient participation and ease of use. Of the 116 patients enrolled, only 15 discontinued participation during the study period.

"These findings provide important real-world evidence supporting the use of remote patient monitoring in lung transplant recipients," says Kelly Pennington, M.D., co-senior author and pulmonologist in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Mayo Clinic. "As these models evolve, they have the potential to transform how we deliver transplant care — expanding access, reducing burden and improving outcomes for patients."

The team will continue to monitor RPM program participants while exploring opportunities to expand this approach across Mayo Clinic sites and transplant programs.

For a complete list of authors, review the study.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

About Mayo Clinic Transplant Center
Mayo Clinic Transplant Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive transplant programs in the world. With programs in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, Mayo Clinic provides seamless, coordinated care across adult heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas transplantation. Guided by a commitment to innovation, research and education, Mayo Clinic Transplant Center delivers world-leading outcomes, compassionate patient care and advances that shape the future of transplantation worldwide.

Media contact:

• Kelley Luckstein, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic study finds remote monitoring may detect early complications, reduce burden for lung transplant patients appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

A routine screening turned into a life-changing diagnosis for Angela Tripido. After learning she had stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread to her liver, she faced months of treatment, multiple surgeries and uncertainty about what came next.

When the cancer returned, a liver transplant offered a new path forward.

Watch: A routine screening reveals stage 4 cancer, leads to life-changing transplant

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:35) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Screening

"I have lived a super healthy life. You know, always been an athlete, always working out," says Angela.

"I ended up having my, what I would just call, 50th (birthday) screening colonoscopy. The nurse said, 'The doctor will be over in a minute. We're just getting your husband.' I knew immediately that wasn't good," she says. "(The doctor) showed us some pictures and said, 'You have stage 4 colorectal cancer."

Additional imaging showed the cancer had spread to her liver.

Near her home in South Florida, Angela began treatment with chemotherapy and a series of surgeries to remove tumors.

But the cancer returned.

"(Another institution) identified some recurrent lesions in the liver," says Dr. Kris Croome, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. She was not felt to be resectable because she didn't have adequate liver left."

That's when Angela turned to Mayo Clinic for another option.

"She was an excellent candidate for our liver transplant," says Dr. Croome. "She was otherwise a very young, healthy person, and so we felt that if we were able to do a liver transplant, we would be able to clear her of her disease."

"As scary as everything was that was on the plate of what was coming, I want to live, and I want no tumors in me," says Angela.

The wait

Once Angela's disease was confined to her liver and she completed a comprehensive evaluation, she qualified for transplant and was placed on the waiting list.

"My phone rang," Angela remembers. "The voice on the other end said, 'I'm calling to see if you are interested in liver that we believe will be a perfect match for you.'"

After an anxious night with little sleep, transplant day arrived on July 7, 2025. She remembers the final moments with the surgical team before the procedure began.

"I always say to the team, right before they put me under, 'Thank you all for taking really good care of me.' And there was this nice gentleman next to me, one of the nurses, and he was like, 'We've got you, don't worry,'" says Angela.

Good news

The surgery was a success.

"What the transplant has given me is there's a lot more hope for longevity — not having chemo in me, quality of life," says Angela.

Nearly a year after her transplant, Angela is getting back to the life she loves. She and her husband have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They're traveling again and raising awareness in the community.

"We were involved in a charity run locally to promote screening for colon cancer with one of the local health groups, and had the opportunity to run into her," says Dr. Croome. "Just to see her out and about enjoying her life disease-free, I think, really is why we do all this."

Angela also carries deep gratitude for the organ donor who made it possible.

"You can give someone a chance at a longer life and a healthier life, and that's a miracle," she says. "I will be writing that letter and thanking that family, and I hope they know what it's given me."

Related stories:

• How innovation is shaping the future of transplant care (VIDEO)
• Mayo Clinic Q&A: What is life like after an organ transplant or donation?
• Mayo Clinic Minute: How liver transplant is transforming care for patients with advanced colorectal cancer

The post A routine screening reveals stage 4 cancer, leads to life-changing liver transplant (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

From the moment David Sanborn, M.D., arrived at Mayo Clinic as a resident in 2018, he envisioned a career built around caring for the whole patient. What he did not anticipate was how fully Mayo's education programs, mentorship culture and research capabilities would shape his training — and launch his career as a clinician‑scientist in lung transplantation.

Dr. Sanborn completed all of his graduate medical training at Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, including internal medicine residency, a chief resident year, pulmonary and critical care fellowship, and a highly specialized transplant‑focused fellowship. Along the way, Mayo's educational flexibility allowed him to explore his interests before narrowing his focus.

"I wanted deeper expertise," he says, "but I never wanted to give up taking care of the whole patient."

That philosophy ultimately drew him to lung transplantation, where he could care for patients over many years, not just during moments of crisis, and see how treatment decisions shaped their quality of life. The specialty offered what he was seeking from the beginning: ongoing relationships with patients and families, complex medicine, and the chance to help people reclaim milestones they once thought were out of reach.

Training future colleagues to advance the science of transplantation

Dr. Sanborn's training coincided with a period of rapid program growth. Over the past several years, the number of lung transplants performed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has increased, highlighting a national shortage of physicians prepared to manage the complex, long-term needs of these patients. In response, Mayo launched the Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplant Fellowship in 2023.

"In planning for that growth, it became clear that we needed not only more staff, but better training pathways," says Cassie Kennedy, M.D., Dr. Sanborn's research mentor and medical director of Lung Transplantation at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. "There are very few programs in the U.S. preparing physicians to care for lung transplant patients at this level. One of our goals was to train future colleagues who excel clinically, are committed educators, and are motivated to advance the science of transplantation. Dr. Sanborn is a clear example of that vision in practice."

A defining feature of his fellowship was protected research time and faculty mentorship. Supported by Dr. Kennedy and fellowship director  Kelly Pennington, M.D., a Mayo Clinic transplant pulmonologist and critical care specialist, Dr. Sanborn devoted a full year of research to studying chronic lung transplant rejection, an area that historically lacked predictive tools.

His work adapts Mayo‑developed CALIPER imaging technology and applies machine‑learning approaches to identify early, noninvasive changes associated with rejection.

"Dr. Sanborn brings a level of curiosity and drive that elevates the entire team," says Dr. Pennington. "He consistently turns clinical questions into meaningful research. His success reflects both his dedication and an environment that encourages innovation and mentorship."

As the project expanded, Dr. Sanborn recognized the need for formal research training. "I knew I needed stronger grounding in statistics and study design if I wanted to do this well," he says.

With faculty advocacy, Mayo provided fully funded tuition and protected time for him to pursue a master's degree in clinical and translational science through Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences during his fellowship. The program connected him with statisticians, ethicists and clinical trial experts who became long-term collaborators. He will complete the degree in June, the same month he finishes his fellowship.

Helping trainees build meaningful careers

Mentorship remains central to Dr. Sanborn's work. A former chief resident, he actively mentors residents and fellows and recently began mentoring a Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine student developing a transplant‑related research project. He sees teaching as essential to sustaining academic medicine and helping trainees build meaningful careers.

That pipeline extends to MCASOM students at all three campuses (Rochester, Arizona and Florida) through elective transplant rotations, which immerse learners in the full transplant journey. Students observe liver, kidney and pancreas transplant surgeries, participate in organ recovery, join transplant rounds, and engage in post‑transplant inpatient care. They also attend transplant selection and education conferences, gaining insight from evaluation through recovery.  

In July, Dr. Sanborn will join the Mayo Clinic staff as a transplant pulmonologist, continuing both his clinical work and research with dedicated time.

"Mayo didn't just train me," he says. "They invested in what I wanted my career to look like, and now I get to stay, care for patients and help move the field forward. That means everything to me."

The post Shaped by curiosity, supported by Education: How Mayo Clinic propelled Dr. David Sanborn’s career in transplant medicine appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

PHOENIX — This National Donate Life Month, Mayo Clinic is highlighting how innovation is shaping the future of transplant care.

"Over the last 50 years, transplant safety and outcomes have improved dramatically, making it a successful treatment for many patients. Since joining Mayo Clinic in 1976, I've seen how teamwork, research and high-volume expertise have driven advances," says Sylvester Sterioff, M.D., retired transplant surgeon.

Mayo Clinic performed its first transplant in 1963, marking the start of its pioneering work in transplantation. At that time, surgeons didn't typically specialize in transplants full time. The introduction of improved immunosuppression therapies in the 1980s greatly expanded capabilities, and surgical techniques have progressed from traditional open procedures to today's advanced methods.

"These innovations now allow us to accept a broader range of organs, and preservation techniques have improved considerably," says Dr. Sterioff. "Over the years, I've witnessed success rates in transplantation rise from 35% to over 90%. Mayo Clinic's foundation in collaborative, complex care makes these achievements possible." 

Today, that progress is enabling less invasive options for some transplant patients.

Watch: Inside the Innovation — Robotic-assisted kidney transplant

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:04) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Robotic-assisted transplantation expands possibilities

Now, that legacy continues with robotic-assisted kidney transplantation, a surgical approach available at only a limited number of advanced transplant centers nationwide.

"In robotic-assisted surgery, the surgeon controls every movement, the robot isn't operating on its own," explains Alex Cortez, M.D., a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. "It's a tool that gives us greater precision and a magnified view, so we can perform highly advanced minimally invasive surgery. With four robotic arms and a nearby console, the surgeon can make finer, steadier motions than the human hand alone. This can also make surgery possible for some patients with more complex cases. And because it's less invasive, patients often have smaller incisions, less pain and a faster recovery."

Robotic systems have come a long way since the first robotic kidney transplant in 2001. Much like smartphones, the optics, technology and access have improved. This efficiency enables surgeons to perform additional procedures, allowing them to assist a greater number of patients. Robotic-assisted surgery still requires extensive training and uses the same core surgical principles. Advanced haptics let surgeons feel tissue resistance and suture tension, improving precision and safety. This reduces tissue harm and complications over visual cues alone, and technology will continue to evolve. 

The future of transplant innovation

Looking ahead, advances in robotics could help make complex transplants and multi-organ transplants less invasive and shape what the next era of transplant medicine looks like.

"I think this is just the beginning. We're able to merge innovation with patient-centered care to provide not only successful transplants, but also allow patients to recover faster and lead to a better quality of life," says Michelle Nguyen, M.D., a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. "For the first time at Mayo Clinic, we have been able to perform a simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant using robotic surgery."  

"Looking to the future, there's a lot of innovation occurring," she adds. "With the introduction of telepresence, the robot’s video camera and microphone allow users to see, hear and interact in a remote environment.” Surgeons from all over the country will be able to watch and learn from Mayo Clinic. There are also opportunities for leveraging the data to then potentially train the robot and other machine learning models to help us make the operation much smoother. "We hope this approach will expand access to care for more patients in the future."

Mayo Clinic is not only advancing today's transplant care, but helping define what comes next. Transplant teams at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Mayo Clinic in Arizona are continuing their work to expand robotic-assisted transplants to other organ groups and the Jacksonville campus at Mayo Clinic in Florida will be including robotics as part of their transplant practice in the near future. These advances would not be possible without the generosity of organ donors, who make lifesaving innovation possible.

Expert sources:

• Alex Cortez, M.D., transplant surgeon, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota 
• Michelle Nguyen, M.D., transplant surgeon, Mayo Clinic in Arizona

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news. 

About Mayo Clinic Transplant Center  
Mayo Clinic Transplant Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive transplant programs in the world. With programs in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, Mayo Clinic provides seamless, coordinated care across adult heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas transplantation. Guided by a commitment to innovation, research and education, Mayo Clinic Transplant Center delivers world-leading outcomes, compassionate patient care and advances that shape the future of transplantation worldwide. 

Media contact: 

• Carey Stanton, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

The post How innovation is shaping the future of transplant care (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Mayo Clinic is using new technology to help with diabetes-related kidney failure.

About 40 million people in the U.S. are living with diabetes. Most are able to manage the condition with medication and lifestyle changes.

But in some cases, diabetes, type 1 or type 2, can lead to more serious problems, including chronic kidney disease, even kidney failure, leaving patients with only one option – a pancreas-kidney transplant.

The transplant has been performed for decades. Now, surgeons at Mayo Clinic are performing the transplant robotically. 

Steve Canzoneri shares his life-changing story of becoming Mayo's first patient to undergo a robotic pancreas-kidney transplant.

Watch: Mayo Clinic announces first robotic pancreas-kidney transplant

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:45) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Steve has battled diabetes most of his life. Despite treatment, diabetes still took a toll on his body and over time led to kidney failure.

"I've had some major setbacks with diabetic complications and other things like that," says Steve.

Diabetes is a disease where the body cannot properly control blood sugar levels. In most cases, the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or the body can't use it effectively. This can damage organs, especially the kidneys, leaving some patients like Steve in need of a pancreas-kidney transplant.

Steve got the transplant he needed at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He also became Mayo's first patient to undergo the procedure robotically.

"Traditionally, this operation involves a very big incision, but with the minimally invasive approach, we're able to offer patients a smaller incision," says transplant surgeon Michelle Nguyen, M.D. "That potentially allows the patient to recover faster, have less pain, have less risk of wound complications and just be able to return to their normal life more quickly."

For the transplant, two surgeons sit at consoles guiding the robot with hand controls. The robot does not replace the surgeon – it enhances precision, accuracy and control. 

"The robot is actually just a tool that we use in the operating room that improves our magnifications, allows us to do a minimally invasive approach," says transplant surgeon Nitin Katariya, M.D. "We are in control the whole time."

Goal of transplant

The transplant is more than just a treatment.

"For many of these patients on insulin, we can try to cure both issues: the kidney disease and what may have caused their kidney disease in the first place, their diabetes. And so we look at kidney-pancreas transplant together as a way to attack both problems and solve both problems," adds Dr. Katariya.

Steve's dad noticed an improvement right away.

"He said to me that I finally sound like his son again," says Steve.

Steve was discharged less than a week after his transplant. 

"He’s recovering very smoothly. He is done with dialysis, his kidney function is pretty much normal now, he is off insulin," says Dr. Nguyen.

For Steve, that means a future free of limitations.

"To be able to live, and travel again, be able to live life, and having that renewed spirit of being able to just do whatever I want–whenever I want–and not be tied down somewhere," says Steve.

Not everyone is a candidate for the robotic pancreas-kidney transplant. Doctors recommend talking to your healthcare team to determine what options are best for you.

Related stories:

• Mayo Clinic surgeons perform first robotic-assisted kidney transplant in Minnesota
• How a pancreas transplant can cure diabetes
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Reasons to be a living kidney donor
• From donation to Kilimanjaro: Living kidney donor defies limits (VIDEO)

The post Mayo Clinic announces first robotic pancreas-kidney transplant (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A close friend of mine recently received an organ transplant, and another acquaintance is considering becoming a living donor. What is life really like after an organ transplant or donation?

ANSWER: Organ transplantation is often described as a second chance at life, and for many people, that description is accurate. The purpose of a transplant is to restore health for people with end-stage organ failure so they can return to a near-normal life.

Whether someone receives an organ or chooses to donate one, the experience doesn't end when surgery is over. Recovery, adjustment and follow-up care all become part of life afterward.

In the first few weeks after a transplant, patients are recovering from major surgery and healing from the incision. As they recover, they gradually become more active. Some patients say they notice improvements soon after surgery and begin to feel better early in recovery. Even so, the body still needs time to heal; many patients say they begin to feel fully back to normal within about six to eight weeks.

Before a transplant, people with organ failure often live with significant limitations that affect their energy, activity and daily routines. After recovery, many are able to return to work, travel, family life and other activities they previously had to give up.

After organ transplant

A transplant also comes with long-term medical responsibilities. One of the most important is taking anti-rejection medications, which help prevent the immune system from attacking the new organ.

Most transplant recipients take these medications every day, often twice daily. As with any medication, side effects are possible. However, many people tolerate these medications well and eventually incorporate them into their daily routines.

After a transplant, patients have several follow-up visits. As they stabilize, those visits become less frequent. Routine lab tests every few months help the care team watch for signs of rejection.

How long a transplanted organ lasts depends on the type of organ and how closely a patient follows the treatment plan. The liver, for example, has a remarkable ability to regenerate. Some people are still living with the same transplanted liver more than 40 years after surgery.

Kidneys don't regenerate the same way the liver does. On average, a kidney transplant from a living donor can last a little more than 20 years, although many last much longer. Taking medications as prescribed and keeping regular follow-up appointments help transplanted organs function well over time.

Beyond physical recovery, receiving an organ transplant can also bring emotional changes.

Many recipients express deep gratitude toward the donor who made their transplant possible. Some become more involved in raising awareness about organ donation and helping others understand the need for donors. For many recipients, being part of that community is meaningful.

At times, transplant recipients may struggle with complicated feelings, such as guilt or a sense of indebtedness to the donor. Healthcare teams often help patients understand that the donor's decision to give an organ is separate from the recipient's situation. Organ donation is ultimately a personal decision made by the donor or donor family.

Becoming a living donor

For people considering becoming living donors, recovery also varies depending on the type of donation. Kidney donation is the most common form of living organ donation and is often performed using minimally invasive techniques. Many donors stay in the hospital for one night and are encouraged to begin walking the same day as surgery.

While any surgery carries risks, studies suggest that most living donors go on to live healthy lives after they heal from the operation.

Ultimately, organ transplantation is possible because of the generosity of donors willing to help someone else in need. For people living with end-stage organ failure, a transplant can restore health and independence in ways they may not have imagined possible. For donors, the decision to give an organ offers the chance to save another person's life.

Timucin Taner, M.D., Ph.D., Transplant Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

The post Mayo Clinic Q&A: What is life like after an organ transplant or donation? appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'd like to become a living kidney donor. What's involved and how do I prepare if I'd like to donate a kidney?

ANSWER: You've made a generous and meaningful decision to become a living kidney donor. More than 90,000 people in the U.S. are on a waiting list for a kidney transplant. 

Your donation offers life-changing benefits for someone with kidney failure. The kidney's role is to filter waste from the bloodstream. Receiving a kidney transplant frees the person from the rigorous schedule and restrictions of dialysis and allows them to participate more fully in life — working, raising a family, traveling and returning to the activities they value. 

Living donor kidney donation can be made in several ways:

• Directed. This means your kidney will go to someone you know — a family member, friend or co-worker. Blood relatives are usually the most compatible living kidney donors.
• Paired. If you aren't compatible with your intended recipient, you may participate in a kidney exchange so that both recipients receive compatible kidneys.
• Voucher (advanced donation). You can donate your kidney now through a national program and receive a voucher for a designated person. If that person needs a transplant in the future, the voucher helps prioritize them for a compatible living donor kidney through the exchange system
• Nondirected. Your kidney goes to someone you don't know, based on medical need and compatibility.

This is a big decision, and you want to go into it feeling well informed. Typically, when you decide to become a living donor, a living donor advocate will contact you, followed by the living donor team, who will explain the risks and benefits, the process, and provide care and support along your donation journey.

Throughout the entire process, you shouldn't feel pressured. If you change your mind, that's OK too. Also, your confidentiality as a donor is protected unless you choose otherwise.

The cost of the donor evaluation and testing is covered by the transplant center or the recipient's insurance. Living donors aren't financially responsible for medical testing related to donation.

Health history and criteria

You'll start your donation journey by filling out a health history form. Living donors are carefully selected based on health criteria. Factors such as chronic diseases, diabetes, previous cancer treatment, certain medications and anything that could affect the future health of your kidneys are considered. Weight, blood pressure and kidney function also are key factors.

If you meet these criteria, you'll undergo a comprehensive evaluation at a transplant center. This includes a physical examination, blood and urine testing, imaging of the kidneys, and consultations with a nephrologist and transplant surgeon. In many centers, this evaluation can be completed in a single day.

Once all this information is gathered, it will be presented at a multidisciplinary living donor meeting where the whole team — living donor advocate, nephrologist, surgeon, nutritionist, pharmacist and social worker — will evaluate the results to determine whether you're an eligible donor. If you're approved, then the donation process begins.

Surgery

The first step is to schedule surgery. The timing depends on whether you're making a directed, paired or voucher donation. The procedure is typically performed laparoscopically using minimally invasive surgical techniques. Most donors stay in the hospital for one night and return home the next day.

After surgery, temporary symptoms such as pain, nausea and constipation are common and managed by your care team. Heavy lifting and strenuous activity should be avoided for the first two weeks, and most donors return to their usual activities within four to six weeks.

Your remaining kidney needs time to adjust, too. To take on the extra work, it will undergo internal changes to improve its filtration capabilities. Typically, donors regain 75% of the function they had from two kidneys.

Follow-up care is an essential part of donation. Transplant centers monitor donors at six, 12, and 24 months after surgery to ensure your long-term health.

By choosing to become a living kidney donor, you offer someone not just a transplant but a renewed opportunity for life.

Pooja Budhiraja, M.B.B.S., Nephrology and Hypertension, Transplant Center, Mayo Clinic in Arizona 

The post Mayo Clinic Q&A: How do I prepare to donate a kidney appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

What began as a routine check for swelling quickly turned Randy Ramey's life upside down. When pneumonia and swelling were diagnosed as stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver, Randy, of Denton, Texas, struggled to understand how it was all connected. 

A series of visits with local specialists revealed a fatty liver disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. For Randy, the diagnosis set off a cascade of life-or-death decisions that led his wife and him to Mayo Clinic, where he underwent a complex series of three lifesaving procedures, including a double coronary artery bypass surgery, liver transplant and, just months later, a kidney transplant. They found themselves navigating one health obstacle after another.

Randy is sharing his story to raise awareness during Donate Life Month.

Watch: 3 lifesaving surgeries and a second chance

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:47) is available for download at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"I was shocked. I mean, we didn't see that coming at all. It's right out of left field. You know, at that point, I wasn't physically sick. I was just swollen," says Randy.

When pneumonia and swelling became a diagnosis of stage 4 cirrhosis. Randy came to Mayo Clinic for a liver transplant evaluation. What doctors found made his situation far more urgent and far more complex.

"I went into the lab for a chemical stress test, but that's where they confirmed the two blockages. So what they ended up deciding, we're going to do two surgeries in one day. We're going to do your heart surgery — your double bypass — and we're going to do the liver. The worst I felt was the day before I got transplanted. The next morning when I woke up and had to do the walk, I still felt better than I did before the surgery," he says.

From the hospital window, Randy's wife, Elise, watched the mountains outside and saw their journey ahead — every peak, every valley — another procedure, another decision, another climb.

"We're going to have to climb every one of those mountain ranges," Elise says as she recalls their journey. "We're going to have to ascend and descend and ascend and descend every one of those mountain ranges."

"I'm getting rebuilt from the ground up," Randy says. "My kidney took off running, and it hasn't stopped. I don't know how you pay somebody for saving your life. I get emotional because you can't put it in words, but I've tried."

And with smiles as big as Texas, Randy and Elise are home after 27 weeks in Arizona. 

Related stories:

• From donation to Kilimanjaro: Living kidney donor defies limits (VIDEO)

The post 3 lifesaving surgeries and a second chance (VIDEO)  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

An Arizona woman who is a Mayo Clinic retiree, along with several other fellow kidney donors, is proving that donating a kidney doesn't limit a person. In fact, donors can accomplish amazing feats, like climbing Africa's highest mountain. 

Watch: From donation to Kilimanjaro: Living kidney donor defies limits

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:07) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"My life has changed a lot. I am probably healthier now than I've ever been in my entire life — partly because of the climb that I'm doing, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with kidney donor athletes and 15 kidney donors all climbing," says Bethany Krom. "We will summit on World Kidney Day to show the world that those of us with one kidney can do anything that those with two kidneys can."

"This expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro is just an example of how donating a kidney does not need to limit you in any way," says Dr. Mikel Prieto, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon.

"Being able to donate to someone and change their lives is something that's really amazing and makes me feel good every day," Bethany says. "And knowing what a difference it made on my life inspires me to help others to think about doing the same thing."

Bethany donated her kidney as part of the paired exchange program. It's an option for donors and intended recipients who aren't a match for transplant. In paired exchange donation, two or more organ-recipient pairs trade donors so that each recipient gets an organ that is compatible.

"Thanks to paired exchange, as long as you have a donor — it doesn't matter what blood group, doesn't matter what age or anything — if they pass the test to be a donor, but they are not a good match for you, we can use that kidney for somebody else," says Dr. Prieto.

"You can donate totally independent of when your person is and just name your person — actually, five people you can name — and whoever needs it first will get it," Bethany says.

"Basically, what we need is a healthy person — somebody that is not putting themselves at risk for donating their kidney," Dr. Prieto says.

"I knew that the person I was donating for was a grandpa. And as it turns out, the person I donated to is a grandfather as well. So I'm a grandma who gave so two grandpas will be able to watch their grandchildren grow up. That, for me, is very special," Bethany says.

"Donating a kidney is basically changing somebody's life: 'I'm going to help you. I'm going to change your life for the better,'" says Dr. Prieto.

And Bethany says, in her case, it's not just the recipient's life that was changed.

"For me, donation enhanced my life because I am more careful about how I take care of my body. And then I am exercising and eating good food," she says. "So I am healthier and doing all the things I did before and more, like climbing mountains."

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