by In the United States, more than 70 kidney transplants are performed daily, but many individuals who wish to donate their kidneys are often disqualified due to factors such as weight or smoking habits. However, a new initiative called Project Donor, run by the University of Chicago’s Center for RISC, is working to help these potential donors become eligible.
However, during a phone screening, Watson was informed that she weighed too much to be considered as a donor. She later tried again at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where she passed the initial screening but still had a high BMI.
Project Donor aims to reduce the 90% rejection rate of individuals interested in kidney donation due to weight or smoking history. The initiative specifically targets potential donors who miss the BMI cutoff by five to 30 pounds or are active cigarette smokers. The majority of donation centers require donors to have a BMI lower than 35 and have not smoked for at least 90 days before surgery. Other factors such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, or serious mental health conditions can also disqualify individuals from becoming donors.
Steve Levitt, a professor at the University of Chicago and founder of Project Donor, stated that the current system lacks support for potential donors facing these challenges. Levitt and his team aim to fill that gap by providing assistance to individuals working on weight loss or smoking cessation. Project Donor offers free access to various weight loss programs, smoking cessation products, online therapy, and financial assistance to cover transportation and lost wages during recovery.
Project Donor is currently working with 170 prospective patients, with about 20 of them residing in the Chicago area. Approximately 250 individuals have already been through the program, and 25 participants have successfully met their donation goals. Eight donors, including Rachel Watson, have already donated a kidney, while eight others are currently navigating the pre-surgery process.
Each year, an estimated 20,000 potential live kidney donors in the United States do not qualify. Meanwhile, there are over 106,000 people currently on the waitlist for a new organ, with 87% of them specifically in need of a kidney.
Despite criticisms of using BMI as a health standard, it continues to be a requirement for kidney donations. Project Donor aims to assist participants in losing five to 30 pounds over a six-month period to meet the BMI requirement. Additionally, the initiative focuses on providing support and tools to help donors achieve their weight loss goals without feelings of shame or stigmatization.
Project Donor’s success with Rachel Watson and other participants demonstrates the positive impact the initiative has had on individuals’ lives. Watson successfully lost the required weight and donated her kidney in June. She remains grateful for the support provided by Project Donor and hopes to inspire others to consider organ donation.
As Project Donor continues to expand its efforts, it collaborates with various organizations across the United States to reach more potential donors. The initiative aims to improve the organ donation process and provide opportunities for individuals who may have otherwise been disqualified to save lives through their selfless act of donation.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
