‘Gift certificate’ enables kidney donation when convenient and transplant when needed

Gift certificate, layaway plan or voucher. Call it what you want, but an innovative organ donation program initiated at UCLA has started to spread to other transplant programs across the United States. The program allows for living donors to donate a kidney in advance of when a friend or family member might require a kidney transplant. “Sometimes, patients may be heading toward transplantation in the next few years, but it would be more convenient for a friend or family member to donate a kidney now,” said Dr. Jeffrey Veale, a transplant surgeon who helped initiate the program at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. “A friend or family member could donate a kidney now, before a major anticipated life event — such as traveling, changing employment or getting married — and their intended recipient who is nearing dialysis would receive a gift certificate to redeem for transplantation when needed.” “It is such a simple concept,” Veale said. “It’s the brainchild of a grandfather who wanted to donate a kidney to his grandson nearing dialysis dependency, but the grandfather felt he would be too old to donate in a few years when his grandson would likely need a transplant.” That man is Howard Broadman, a lawyer and retired judge who lives in Laguna Niguel, California. “I was 64 at the time, and my grandson Quinn was 4,” Broadman said. “I know Quinn will eventually need a transplant, but by the time he’s ready, I’ll be too old to give him one of my ki...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news