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Would You Donate A Kidney To A Stranger?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Would you donate your kidney to a stranger?

A growing number of people are willing to do just that. A Mayo Clinic survey of more than 1,000 Americans finds that nearly half would consider donating a kidney to someone they've never met.

"This survey is very encouraging because it's showing that there is a higher number of people that have a positive attitude towards donation," said Dr. Mikel Prieto, surgical director of kidney transplantation at Mayo.

NewsRadio 830 WCCO's Steve Murphy Reports

Would You Donate A Kidney To A Stranger?

Dr. Prieto said that 84 percent would likely donate a kidney or a portion of their liver to a close friend or family member.

The numbers represent a sizable increase from a similar Gallup survey taken 12 years ago. The percentage of people supporting organ donation after death is also growing.

All of this is encouraging news to the 118,000 people in the U.S. currently waiting for an organ transplant.

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