The purpose of this study was to generated a grounded theory of how families with kidney donor or recipient copel with kidney transplantations. Interview data from twelve familes involved in didney transplants was analyzed using the grounded theory method. Data analysis revealed that "protecting the family" was the main theme that represented family member experiences. In order to maintain family function and to protect the family from breaking up, family members had to adjust the family structure from the traditional style of a husband-centered family, to one that was patient health-centered. the process of this adjustment was a very long and difficult one, taking several years from the recognition of the kidney disease to the kidney transplants. Family members, especially spouses, employed nine different strategies to deal with various problems and conflicts which occurred during the process : 1) paying attention to the patient's illness and complications ; 2) accepting the patients's illness as the family's illness as well ; 3) managing the patient's illness and complications that occurred ; 4) being thrifty ; 5) supporting the kidney donor ; 6) accepting and replacing the lost roles of the patient ; 7) keeping composure and encouraging the patient ; 8) sustaining the patient's independence ; 9) self-restraining sexual desires.