A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found living kidney donors live as long or longer and enjoy better quality of life than the general population. The study is the first of its kind, inverstigating donors over a long period of time.

During the study, only 11 out of almost 3,700 participants developed severe kidney problems. Researchers also found donors had a better quality of life then the general population 60 percent of the time.
 
Living kidney donors are carefully screened before being allowed to donate so they must be generally healthy. Donors cannot have any trace of diabetes, high blood pressure or any other chronic diseases or health issues. 

This article originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of Kidney Transplant Today.