Donor App Increases Awareness and Overall Living Kidney Organ Donation

Thirty-seven million adult Americans have chronic kidney disease with African Americans are significantly more likely to develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD) compared to other racial groups. Donor App was designed to help kidney transplant candidates (KTCs) identify potential living donors (LDs) by creating social media postings about their need for transplant. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using Donor App in improving awareness about living organ donation and rates of living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT). LD inquiries and transplant outcomes were compared between KTCs who used the Donor App with 1:3 matched historic controls from our center's waitlist. Forty-nine KTCs posted their stories using Donor App. The total views on all platforms and patients were 11 881. Ninety-three potential LD inquiries came on behalf of 26/49 KTCs (53%). KTCs with at least one potential LD inquiry were likely to have at least one donor champion (p = 0.01), used multiple social media outlets (p = 0.003), and had significantly higher median views versus candidates without inquiries (263 [interquartile range (IQR): 117–624] vs. 42 [IQR: 15–96], respectively; p < 0.001). To date, three underwent transplants (two LDKTs and one deceased direct donation). None of the matched controls had any potential LD inquiries (p = 0.01). The Donor App can significantly increase awareness and rate of living organ donation.