Q: A co-worker was diagnosed with kidney disease last year. He is on dialysis three times a week as he waits for a kidney transplant. He shared his hope to get a living donor, explaining that he will have a longer wait since there are not as many diverse people signed up as organ donors. Why is this?

A: More than 103,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for an organ transplant, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Nearly 60% of people on transplant waiting lists come from minority communities.

Higher rates of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are present in minority communities, contributing to more kidney failure. Almost 89,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant.

Organs are not matched based on race and ethnicity, but criteria including blood type and specific antibodies must match to find a compatible organ. People from various ethnic groups will have a better outcome with a donor organ from someone of a similar background.

Wait times in the U.S. to receive a deceased donor kidney vary based by region, but can be anywhere from three to 10 years. Only about 30% of donor organs are from people of color.

Your colleague is correct in that he would likely have a longer wait time for a transplant if waiting on a deceased donor. Finding a living kidney donor is often a faster route to transplant.

Kidney donation is the most common type of living-donor transplant. People only need one kidney to live a healthy life. In 2022, more than 6,400 lives were saved thanks to living donors, according to Donate Life America.

However, there is a long-standing distrust of the health care community in certain minority groups, and many myths have been propagated around organ donation, which has resulted in people being less likely to become organ donors. Some of the things I hear include the following.

Myth: People who donate organs or tissues can’t have an open-casket funeral.

Fact: Donors’ bodies are treated with respect. And they’re dressed for burial. No one can see that they donated organs or tissues.

Myth: I’m too old to donate.

Fact: There’s no defined cutoff age for donating organs. The decision to use your organs is based on medical criteria, not age. Let the doctors decide at the time of your death whether your organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation.

Myth: My family will be charged if I donate my organs after death.

Fact: The organ donor’s family never pays for their donation. The donor family pays for all medical care once you are determined to be a possible donor. Sometimes, families think those costs are for organ donation. But the person who gets the organs for transplant pays the costs for removing the organs.

Myth: Becoming a living donor is a lengthy and costly process.

Fact: Anyone interested in becoming a living donor will have to undergo screening and a physical and psychological evaluation to ensure they are a good candidate for donation. The recipient’s insurance always covers the cost. But some programs are available to compensate potential donors for time lost from work or school or to help with travel expenses. Once a donor is approved, the time frame is up to the donor, recipient and the respective care teams.

Go to the Donate Life America website to learn more about signing up to be an organ donor. — Shennen Mao, M.D., Transplant Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida

Mayo Clinic Q&A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu.