Colorado Transplant Program Offers New Hope Through National Kidney Voucher System

AdventHealth Transplant Institute at Porter participates in program allowing living donors to give a kidney now and help a loved one receive one later.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A groundbreaking transplant program in Denver is giving families new flexibility and new hope when it comes to kidney donation. The AdventHealth Transplant Institute at Porter is participating in a national voucher system that allows living donors to give a kidney now and help a loved one receive one later through the National Kidney Registry.

Why it matters

The voucher program is changing how families navigate the transplant process by allowing living donors to give at a time that works best for them without having to wait until their loved one becomes critically ill. Donors also don't need to be a direct match to make a life-saving impact.

The details

Through the National Kidney Registry's voucher program, donors can provide a kidney to someone in the registry pool in exchange for a voucher that guarantees their intended recipient priority access to a compatible kidney when needed. There are two types of vouchers available - a short-term voucher for recipients expected to need a transplant within a year, and a long-term family voucher that allows donors to protect up to five family members.

  • In February 2026, the AdventHealth Transplant Institute at Porter began participating in the national kidney voucher program.

The players

Dannie Turner

A Denver resident who needed a kidney transplant and received a voucher through the program after his wife, Sherry, donated her kidney to someone else in need.

Sherry Turner

Dannie Turner's wife, who was able to donate her kidney to someone else in need through the voucher program, securing a priority kidney for her husband when he needed it.

National Kidney Registry

The organization that operates the national kidney voucher program, which allows living donors to give a kidney now and help a loved one receive one later.

AdventHealth Transplant Institute at Porter

A transplant program in Denver that is participating in the National Kidney Registry's voucher system.

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What they’re saying

“It made me feel like I was really loved and that she was willing to sacrifice that much to save me.”

— Dannie Turner

“It's been great; no more dialysis, back to a normal life.”

— Sherry Turner

What’s next

The AdventHealth Transplant Institute at Porter plans to continue promoting and expanding the use of the National Kidney Registry's voucher program to help more families in need of kidney transplants.

The takeaway

The kidney voucher program is a innovative approach that is giving families new options and flexibility when it comes to kidney donation, allowing living donors to make a life-saving impact without having to wait until their loved one is critically ill.