Living donation guides

Living Donation, Explained Plainly

Straightforward guides for people considering becoming a living organ donor, and for patients looking for one. Written by MatchingDonors.com, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has been matching patients with living altruistic donors since 2004.

Reviewed August 2026

Who this is for

If you are thinking about donating

Registering is free and commits you to nothing. You choose whom to help, and you can stop at any point.

If you need a transplant — or you are helping someone who does

The MatchingDonors team will talk you through how it works and answer your questions.

Have the team contact me

15,000+registered potential donors

10,000+patients helped

501(c)(3)nonprofit since 2004

A+BBB accredited charity

As seen on

NBC's Today Show
CNN
60 Minutes
NPR
The New York Times
USA Today
The Washington Post
ABC Nightline
Fox News

Becoming a Living Kidney Donor

For Patients Who Need a Donor

Living Donation Education

Liver & Other Organs

Becoming a living liver donorThe liver regrows — how living liver donation works.

Kidney Disease Education

What MatchingDonors does

Introduces patients who need a living donor to people willing to be one, and lets the patient and donor decide for themselves.

What it does not do

It performs no medical assessment, makes no medical decision and carries out no surgery. Every medical decision is made by a transplant center.

Ready to take the next step?

Tell the MatchingDonors team how to reach you. A member of the team — the nonprofit that has been matching patients and living donors since 2004 — will be in touch.

I want to be a living donor

Registering is free and commits you to nothing. You choose whom to help, and you can stop at any point.

I need a living donor

Tell the team what you need. They will explain how finding a living donor works and answer your questions.

Have the team contact me