Living donor kidneys are the preferred option over deceased donors for 2 major reasons:

• Most people wait 3-5 years on the wait list for a deceased donor kidney
  A living donor transplant, if a healthy, suitable donor is available, can be scheduled within months. Sometimes, if planned correctly, dialysis can be avoided completely with a living donor transplant. On average, 10.2 people on dialysis die every day.
• Living donor kidneys last longer than deceased donor kidneys
  A deceased donor kidney transplant, on average lasts 10-15 years while a living donor transplant lasts 12-20 years.