Banner - University Medical Center Tucson is a destination transplant facility, offering comprehensive kidney transplant care for people from throughout Arizona, southern California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and across the country. Our team specializes in both living donor and deceased donor transplantation.
The kidney transplant program at Banner - University Medical Center Tucson has been successfully doing kidney transplants for over 40 years. As of 2025, we have performed more than 2,000 kidney, pancreas and kidney-pancreas transplants, including over 400 transplants from living donors.
The kidney transplant program in Tucson has one of the shortest wait times in the country. And people receiving transplants have excellent survival outcomes.
Our kidney transplant specialists in Tucson collaborate with community nephrologists and referring physicians before, during and after transplant surgery. We work together to determine if you need a transplant and coordinate your care throughout the process.
By partnering early, we can add your name to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) national transplant waiting list more quickly and explore living kidney donor options, often before you begin dialysis.
Banner Health in Tucson supports living donor kidney transplant with kidney paired donation exchange.
This program offers practical guidance and proven methods to support your living donor search. You'll learn effective ways to tell your story and approach potential donors, leaving you better prepared and more confident in your outreach efforts.
Living donor kidney transplant community events in Tucson include:
To learn more about becoming a living donor, reach out to our living donor facilitator at 520-694-3181.
Generally, a kidney transplant evaluation is recommended by your nephrologist (kidney doctor) or primary care provider if you have end-stage renal disease or chronic kidney disease. It’s also possible to refer yourself to the Banner Tucson kidney transplant program. Call our pre-kidney transplant intake specialist at 520-694-0432 to learn more.
To make sure a kidney transplant is expected to work for you and considered relatively safe, our multidisciplinary team reviews your case to see if you are a candidate.
Find out more about kidney transplant qualifications.
Tucson-based support groups include:
We also hold dialysis clinic outreach and dialysis lobby days in Tucson and Southern Arizona.
Our patient education guide and video series provide more transplant information:
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