Frequently Asked Questions
Browse common questions from patients and donors. Click any question below to expand and see the full answer.
Yes. We offer free or discounted memberships under specific criteria. Please call 781-821-2204 to see if you qualify.
Only patients with an active membership can have their information viewed by potential donors.
Yes. Donors may be tested for multiple patients.
Donors can view active patient profiles unless the patient has set their profile to private or confidential.
No. Donors never see your last name, street address, or email address.
Yes. We can refer you to excellent transplant centers across the country.
No. You can continue with your current transplant center.
Before registering, confirm that you are a viable transplant candidate to receive a living donor organ and that you are registered at a transplant center in the United States. It is your responsibility to verify this information.
Yes. You may remove your profile at any time.
All messages they sent are removed from the recipient’s inbox.
The sender may have retracted the message or deactivated their profile.
Sorry, no. Removed messages cannot be recovered.
Sorry, no. We cannot share contact information in those cases.
Yes. Patients can apply to finance a $595 lifetime membership. Call 781-821-2204 Ext. 5 or 800-385-0422 Ext. 5 and a representative will help.
Patients use their Search Agents. Patients can contact donors who message them, and donors listed in their Search Agent results.
Use MatchingDonors.com every day and follow the instructions on your patient homepage. Consistency matters.
You can find coverage on major outlets such as CNN, CBS News, and ABC Nightline, and search online for additional articles.
No. Free airfare may be arranged for testing and surgery within the United States, subject to blackout periods and restrictions. Contact 800-385-0422 Ext. #5 as early as possible to discuss travel options.
Patients may work with donors in the United States or Canada only. Engaging donors outside these countries will result in permanent removal from MatchingDonors.com.
Yes. You can manage, edit, and update your profile at any time.
Your Search Agent continuously looks for new or recently updated donor profiles that match your keywords. The organ you need is added automatically when you sign up. You can create up to 10 additional Search Agents. Note: multiple agents may return the same donor more than once. Sign in daily to review results.
Donors’ Search Agents continuously look for new or recently updated patient profiles that match their keywords. The organ they wish to donate is added automatically. Donors can create up to 10 additional Search Agents and may see the same patient more than once if the profile is updated. Donors should also sign in daily.
No. It is illegal to receive or request financial compensation for organ donation. Violations can result in fines up to $50,000 and/or five years imprisonment. Per our terms, if this prohibition is violated, we may provide your personal, contact, and tracking information to law enforcement.
Common reasons include:
- The donor reviewed your profile in their notification and decided not to proceed.
- The donor is already engaged with another patient.
Tip: Use MatchingDonors.com every day and continue reaching out—consistency increases your chances.
Yes. We reserve the right to remove or suspend any patient or donor profile at any time and for any reason.
When a donor updates their profile, the system treats it as new or updated and may send them again in your results.
Ask your doctor, or donate blood—your blood type will be reported to you.
Kidney donors must be blood-type compatible with the recipient. General compatibility:
- Donors with type A → recipients with A or AB
- Donors with type B → recipients with B or AB
- Donors with type AB → recipients with AB only
- Donors with type O → recipients with A, B, AB, or O (O is the universal donor)
- Recipients with type O → can receive from O only
- Recipients with type A → can receive from A or O
- Recipients with type B → can receive from B or O
- Recipients with type AB → can receive from A, B, AB, or O (AB is the universal recipient)
We can try, but it’s not guaranteed. Learn what to expect from a volunteer here: Volunteer Information.
Yes—only under the conditions below. There are no exceptions. A team reviews site activity to confirm eligibility. After being registered and actively using MatchingDonors.com for at least 5 days per week for three consecutive months, we can, upon your written request, send a personal email from the CEO to all donors with compatible blood types.
“Active use” means you must:
- Sign in and update your profile regularly.
- Contact every new or updated donor in your Search Agent with a compatible blood type.
- Save each contacted donor and keep detailed notes in “Saved Donors” (these notes are reviewed).
- Send each donor a personalized private message through MatchingDonors.com.
- If a donor lists a phone number, call and ask if they’ll be tested. If voicemail answers, leave a message and call back three times per week until you connect (or, if no voicemail, call back three times per week).
- If a donor’s phone number is wrong/disconnected, report it via “Press Here To Report This Donor’s Profile Because of Abuse” on the donor profile, choose the appropriate reason, include your email, and submit.
If you miss a required day, the three-month clock restarts.