Kidney Transplant Program
Experience and Excellent Outcomes
If your child needs a kidney transplant, you want an experienced team and support for the whole family. Nemours Children's surgeons in Delaware have performed 59 kidney transplants in the last 10 years and have some of the very best outcomes.
We were one of the first programs in the country to offer living donor kidney transplants in children. Our team is also involved in transplant research. This expertise and innovation are why we’re among the most respected programs in the country.
Nemours has everything you need, all in one place. We’re here from evaluation through transplant, and beyond. We provide guidance and strength and prepare your family for a successful recovery.
After transplant, our team helps your child stay healthy and strong. We watch them as they grow and develop. And when it’s time, we’ll help your child transition to adult health care. We’re with you every step of the way.
Our Program
Kids who have an organ transplant can and do grow up healthy and strong. See how we help children play, jump and run again.
“The future for Keith is so much brighter and more open to whatever he wants to achieve.”
Caring for a child with a serious illness isn’t easy. Learn ways to care for yourself so you can stay strong for your family.
Kidney Transplant Services We Offer
When a child has end-stage kidney disease or a kidney condition that can’t be treated by minor surgery or medicines, they may need a kidney transplant.
Nemours gives your child the highest level of care along the way. We provide:
- Dialysis – treatment that filters blood while waiting for a transplant
- Kidney transplant surgery – replace a sick kidney with a healthy one from a living or deceased donor
- Post-transplant medical care – expert long-term follow-up after transplant and transition to adult post-transplant care when it’s time
Our Care Team
The Nemours kidney transplant team is made up of many highly skilled professionals who work closely with your family. You can expect to meet:
- Kidney transplant surgeons — specially trained pediatric kidney transplant surgeons who perform the procedure
- Nephrologists — kidney specialists who manage care before, during and after transplant surgery
- Kidney transplant coordinators — specially trained nurse practitioner who manages the process, including appointments, testing and evaluations and more
- Pediatric infectious disease specialists — evaluate and treat children for infections pre- and post-transplant
- Transplant anesthesiologists — support vital functions while under anesthesia
- Critical care physicians — care for kids in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU)
- Dietitians — keep kids healthy and strong with nutrition and meal planning
- Rehabilitation therapists — physical and occupational therapists who improve strength and function
- Psychologists and psychiatrists — offer a wide range of emotional and coping support
- Social workers — provide your child and family emotional support, and help you prepare for each step of the process
- Child life specialists — specially trained to work with kids who are sick and receiving treatment in a hospital setting
- Other professionals— financial coordinators, teachers, pastoral care teams and many others who make life a little easier
Meet the Nemours kidney transplant team now.
Related Specialties
The Very Best in Transplant Care
Our transplant surgeons are experts. We help give kids the very best chance for a healthy, active life.
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We have an active, experienced pediatric kidney transplant program. Our program began in 1993 and since then we’ve performed dozens of kidney transplants. Our survival rate is 100% at 1 year and 3 years, which is better than the national average.
We collaborate with world-renowned Thomas Jefferson University. We work closely with the transplant team at Thomas Jefferson University’s Transplant Institute for our adult living donor surgeries. You can trust that the living donor will get the very latest, most advanced care available.
We’re researching pediatric kidney disease and transplantation. Our team is involved in important kidney disease research. We’re looking for new ways to make kidney transplants safer and more successful for kids everywhere.
We handle everything. Our coordinators walk you through the process and our team helps you throughout the journey. We help you make appointments, prepare for transplant, cope as a family, find lodging, participate in our onsite school, get involved with the Child Life team and more. You’re never alone at Nemours.
Advanced Care Facilities
We have state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. From our operating rooms and labs, to our private rooms and amenities, you get quality care at a hospital just for kids. Take a virtual tour of Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware.
A Home Away From Home for Traveling Families
If you’re coming in from out of town, your family has access to a Ronald McDonald House located right across from our campus. This can help make your visit more convenient and affordable.
When Your Child Needs a Kidney Transplant
Do you have questions about kidney transplants? Find out what happens before, during and after the procedure from the experts at Nemours® KidsHealth®.
