To give Ella a portion of their liver, the donor must endure a battery of tests, including an MRI, an EKG and a chest X-ray, as well as 14-16 blood tests. Depending on the donor’s age and history, there may be more tests. Then, the donor has to be interviewed by a psychiatrist, a financial coordinator, a hepatologist, a social worker, a surgeon, and a nurse practitioner. These people make up the donor’s medical team. The donor and the recipient receive separate medical teams made up of different doctors whose loyalties are devoted to their respective patients, thus keeping the interests of the donor as in high esteem as the interests of the recipient.
The donor must not consume alcohol for at least two months beforehand and must not smoke. The donor must be doing this for purely altruistic reasons. If there is any doubt of this, the donor will not be allowed to donate and other possible donors are allowed to come forward for testing.
Due to insurance issues amongst other factors, only one person at a time can be a tested to be a donor.
If a person is approved to be the donor, then they are given a two week period to reflect on their decision. If the prospective donor consents, then a date is set.
Live Donors
While Ella is still on the waiting list for a liver, Ella’s friends and family are considering live organ donation. To be a live donor, the donor has to A) be blood type O as that is Ella’s blood type, B) be her size or larger, C) be in a healthy condition so that they can endure the surgery and recovery.
