# Kidney transplant from a living donor Keywords: - [organ donation](< /en/search?q=organ donation >) - [organ transplantation](< /en/search?q=organ transplantation >) - [renal transplantations](< /en/search?q=renal transplantations >) - ... Show all keywords - [elävien luovuttajien siirrot](< /en/search?q=elävien luovuttajien siirrot >) - [munuaisenluovutus](< /en/search?q=munuaisenluovutus >) A loved one of a patient with kidney disease may donate their other kidney to the patient. The donor can be, for example, a family member or friend of the patient. According to current legislation, a living kidney donor can also donate a kidney to a person unknown to them. Kidney transplants from living donors at HUS, as well as contacts and examinations of those interested in kidney donation, are coordinated by national living donor coordinators. The number of patients with kidney disease is increasing in Finland. One important reason for this is diabetes and the kidney damage it causes. On the other hand, there are still too few kidney transplants, and the number of patients on the waiting list has been on the increase. We aim to increase the number of kidney transplants from living donors so that more and more people with kidney disease can find a suitable kidney transplant at the right time. ## Who can donate a kidney? --- - An adult - The donor must be healthy Donations must be voluntary. The donor has the right to withdraw his consent at any time before the organ or tissue is harvested, without giving any reasons. ## What are the advantages of a kidney transplant from a living donor? --- - The surgery can be planned and scheduled beforehand, in some cases before dialysis treatments are started. - It is possible to avoid the sometimes long waiting time in the kidney transplant waiting list. - A kidney transplanted from a living donor usually begins to function immediately. ## Donor safety --- - We perform thorough examinations of the general state of health of living kidney donors and especially the safety of the kidney donation, including various laboratory and imaging examinations. - We monitor the health status of living donors at the renal outpatient clinic after donation. - Examinations and outpatient clinic visits for living kidney donors are free of charge. - Living kidney donors have a good prognosis and their quality of life is as good as that of the rest of the population. ## Surgery and follow-up of a living kidney donor --- - For a living kidney donor, surgery means 3–5 days of hospital stay on ward K5B at Meilahti Triangle Hospital, and the physician usually prescribes 4–6 weeks of recuperation leave for the donor, depending on their type of work. - A living kidney donor visits the outpatient clinic for follow-up between one and 12 months after surgery, and then every 5 years. - Hospital treatment and follow-up visits related to the surgery for living kidney donors are free of charge. ## [ Munuaistalo.fi (opens in new window, links to another website) ](https://www.terveyskyla.fi/munuaistalo/) Terveyskylä.fi health portal The Kidney Hub ( Munuaistalo) at the Health Village offers support and information on kidney disorders and their treatment for patients, families and professionals. More information on the Kidney Hub  ## Living Donor Coordinator - [ munuaisluovutus@hus.fi](mailto:munuaisluovutus@hus.fi) - [ 040 568 4208](tel:0405684208) ## Units related to the service ### [ Ward K5B, Meilahti Triangle Hospital ](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/meilahti-triangle-hospital/ward-k5b-meilahti-triangle-hospital) The treatment of renal and pancreatic transplant patients and patients undergoing renal transplants from family members have been nationally centralized on…  ### [ Nephrology Outpatient Clinic, Meilahti Triangle Hospital ](/en/patient/hospitals-and-other-units/meilahti-triangle-hospital/nephrology-outpatient-clinic-meilahti) Our Nephrology Outpatient Clinic accepts patients on referral and by appointment. Updated: 15.09.2025 Print this page