Kidney Transplant

Other Resources

Support Groups

It's common to feel overwhelmed when faced with the possibility of a kidney transplant. To help discuss your feelings and hear about the experience of others, you will have an opportunity to attend support groups during the evaluation process.

These groups help patients waiting for a transplant and their families avoid feelings of isolation by providing a small "community" that forms a bridge between dialysis and the transplant experience. They also provide information about life after the transplant within a discussion format with participation by staff physicians, social workers, exercise physiologists, and transplant coordinators. For information about support groups, contact the Kidney Transplant Service at (415) 353-1551.

Web sites

These sites have been recommended by our staff for additional information.

General

American Organ Transplant Association
California Transplant Donor Network
Children's Organ Transplant Association
Coalition on Donation
Insulin-Free World Foundation
Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients
Transplant Recipients International Organization
UCSF Department of Surgery
United Network for Organ Sharing
University of Michigan

Kidney

American Association of Kidney Patients
American Diabetes Association
American Kidney Fund
Baxter Healthcare Corp.
Kidney Transplant Dialysis Association
Medical Education Institute Inc.
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
National Kidney Foundation
Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated February 19, 2008