Kidney donor saved a life, improved his own

Kidney donors typically don’t improve their health when they give up an organ. But that’s what happened to Tim Linzer.

This Allentown Morning Call story reports how Linzer had to lose weight and body fat before he could donate a kidney to his brother-in-law, who was in end-stage renal failure.

The story says: “It’s been five weeks since [Lou] Cozze’s life-saving surgery. He has more energy than he’s had in years even though it’ll probably take another month for his new kidney to function at full capacity. … Linzer has more energy, too, from losing weight — a bonus from his gift to Cozze, he says.”

So what does it take to be a living kidney donor?

You must be 18-60 years old, in good overall health and be physically fit.
You must have normal kidney function and anatomy.
You must be free of high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease and heart disease.
To make a “directed donation” for someone you know, speak with a kidney transplant coordinator at the patient’s transplant facility.
To make a “non-directed donation,” contact the Gift of Life Donor Program.

And here are some FAQs from Gift of Life that cover all aspects of organ donations.