Good samaritan kidney donation

Because close genetic matching between the donor and recipient is no longer required to achieve a highly successful outcome, there is currently widespread acceptance of a kidney transplant from a live donor who is genetically unrelated, but emotionally connected to the recipient. This concept has recently been taken a step further to include kidney donation from strangers-individuals who are not genetically or emotionally tied to the recipient. The volunteer stranger donor may express a desire to donate to any person on the transplant waiting list, termed nondirected live-kidney donation. Alternatively, the volunteer may become aware of a specific individual with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), but have no connection or previous relationship with the patient, termed directed stranger donation. The term "good samaritan" may be applied to either case, because the volunteer helps a stranger in a profoundly charitable way. Herein, we describe the development and growth of a Good Samaritan Kidney Donor program at a single institution. A general acceptance of good samaritan donation at our center, favorable publicity, and a geographically defined population base all contributed to the success of this program.