Benefits to a patient who receives a kidney from a living donor include:

• A higher rate of successful outcomes
  
  
• A better genetic match, which lessens the risk of rejection
  
  
• Immediate transplantation directly from the donor to the recipient at Baystate Medical Center, so the kidney usually begins working immediately.
  
  
• Convenient surgical schedules for both doctor and the recipient.   With a kidney from a deceased donor, recipients are called to come in as soon as possible once a suitable kidney becomes available.