Organ donation.

Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
Rædwald would no doubt have been deeply offended if you had described him as a 'Viking'.

But then he did think he needed a rather richly laden boat to carry him into some 'afterlife', so i'm not sure we need to be too concerned about his sensibilities.

I'm struggling to find some of the quite far-out things i was reading on the subject of paying for organs - one of them said something of the order of 40% of people in rural areas of Pakistan have just the one kidney having sold the other. I'd look closer but i need a piss.
 
peggy

peggy

Well-Known Forumite
littleme said:
I know this sounds really stupid, but I think some people are still somewhat suspicious about donating...I.E. as soon as they fill in the donation card, they will drop dead the next day :(

Myself, even though I'm not religious in the slightest - feel very squeemish about not being cremated/buried without being 'whole', having been brought up in a religious family I think it was drilled into me that having bits missing meant you wouldn't go to heaven, in the same way that someone commuting suicide wouldn't either...

Husband thinks that if you're ill in hospital, and the hospital knows you have a donor card - they would be less likely to try to keep you alive as you can be more use elsewhere...

I had a (minor) transplant operation 13 years ago, and decided to donate my own veins to replace my arterys rather than accept either an artificial artery or one from an animal, just because of those reasons.

I realize how stupid we both sound, but I'm guessing that quite a few other people may have the same superstitious views!


Husband also has a good point in that how would you feel if you woke up tomorrow to find you had been given a transplant operation without your consent (received an organ).

Maybe you should only be able to recieve organs, if you sign to say you will also donate?
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Littleme, i think you have really highlighted a number of the issues that I too think hold people back.
I dont know what the answer is except perhaps more info to educate people on the process and the introduction of an opt out system.
Withnail said:
Hmm, well the Bill is still in early stages in Wales - presciently it looks like it is due for debate quite soon, though there are quite a lot of stages for it to go through before 'assent'.

On closer reading it is perhaps not as 'obvious' an answer as reason would lead you to believe, most places where consent is presumed still have a family 'veto', if you will, in place. However -


http://www.nber.org/papers/w10604.pdf?new_window=1

It seems that legislative 'presumed consent' has a sort of 'normalising' effect on people - that is to say it essentially makes them less squeamish - leading to higher donation rates.

We should hear what's happening in Wales quite soon. Gordon Brown was apparently quite keen to introduce such a system UK-wide in 2008 but a 'working group' advised against it - again presciently, it was agreed to look at the idea again in 2013. Perhaps it is an idea whose time has come, sort of thing.
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thanks for the info withnail.
I think I'l try and hold onto my poorly organ a little longer in the hope that the opt out system comes into play before I have to concider looking on ebay for a potential new part!
 
tek-monkey

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I've been signed up since I was 17, there was a box on the driving license application form I believe? Card is always in my wallet, but I guess I've never sat relatives down and said 'Give people any part of me that still functions'. Anyone who knows me well though knows I believe the body is not me, it is merely a delivery mechanism for my thoughts.

Just to forewarn you though, if its a liver or kidneys you need then I'd stay away, as mine don't work that well as it is!
 
littleme

littleme

250,000th poster!
peggy said:
Littleme, i think you have really highlighted a number of the issues that I too think hold people back.
I dont know what the answer is except perhaps more info to educate people on the process and the introduction of an opt out system.
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I agree, I think the only way forward is the opt out system, people just still have too many silly superstitious, I haven't filled out a donor card because of them - but if I had to opt out I wouldn't... if that makes any sense?

I think I've read about people in the UK having transplants with organs brought abroad, and I'm sure UK citizens have traveled abroad in order to pay for both the organ and the operation rather wait on the waiting list here. Which brings us nicely to people being able to sell their organs in the UK, maybe it should be allowed - or will we end up like China/India where people are dragged off the street and have organs removed in the back of vans to be sold on the black market....I'm fairly sure there's another country where convicts organs are always used after their death sentence has been carried out!
 
peggy

peggy

Well-Known Forumite
tek-monkey said:
I've been signed up since I was 17, there was a box on the driving license application form I believe? Card is always in my wallet, but I guess I've never sat relatives down and said 'Give people any part of me that still functions'. Anyone who knows me well though knows I believe the body is not me, it is merely a delivery mechanism for my thoughts.

Just to forewarn you though, if its a liver or kidneys you need then I'd stay away, as mine don't work that well as it is!
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The big drive in the organ donor register is "pass it on"
It seems that it is quite common for family members to be to traumatised by the passing of a loved one they feel unable to cope with the thought of any parts being taken.
Hmm, Tec-monkey, if your parts are not in tip top condition I guess you will be safe after dark, I'm looking for a new part that will last...apparently its not unheard of for the new part to also need replacing at a later date. I wonder if I could get some kind of warranty??

littleme said:
I agree, I think the only way forward is the opt out system, people just still have too many silly superstitious, I haven't filled out a donor card because of them - but if I had to opt out I wouldn't... if that makes any sense?

I think I've read about people in the UK having transplants with organs brought abroad, and I'm sure UK citizens have traveled abroad in order to pay for both the organ and the operation rather wait on the waiting list here. Which brings us nicely to people being able to sell their organs in the UK, maybe it should be allowed - or will we end up like China/India where people are dragged off the street and have organs removed in the back of vans to be sold on the black market....I'm fairly sure there's another country where convicts organs are always used after their death sentence has been carried out!
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Until all these problems started I did the same, I was always happy for my bits to be donated...just never got round to registering. I think there are only a minority that would be dead set against it, but a lot of who agree with the notion but just dont actually do anything about it or have the conversation with our families. I hope an opt out rule is eventually passed. One day my children may, if they too are unlucky enough, have to face the same problems. Awful thought. Fingers crossed for great leaps in medical science!
 
littleme

littleme

250,000th poster!
peggy said:
I'm looking for a new part that will last...apparently its not unheard of for the new part to also need replacing at a later date. I wonder if I could get some kind of warranty??



I hope an opt out rule is eventually passed. One day my children may, if they too are unlucky enough, have to face the same problems. Awful thought.
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Hmm, one of my worrys too, when I had my op I was told it would probably last about 10years - I'm currently 13 years in and have had life of problems where no solution can be found :(

Have to admit I've been terrified that my children might inherit my dodgy arterys as no reason was ever found for the problems with mine, and no-one could tell me if it would be hereditary.

I truly think that opt out is the way to go but at what age should it start? birth? or should it be at the age of consent?
 
littleme

littleme

250,000th poster!
peggy said:
I'm looking for a new part that will last...apparently its not unheard of for the new part to also need replacing at a later date. I wonder if I could get some kind of warranty??



I hope an opt out rule is eventually passed. One day my children may, if they too are unlucky enough, have to face the same problems. Awful thought.
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Hmm, one of my worrys too, when I had my op I was told it would probably last about 10years - I'm currently 13 years in and have had lots of problems where no solution can be found :(

Have to admit I've been terrified that my children might inherit my dodgy arterys as no reason was ever found for the problems with mine, and no-one could tell me if it would be hereditary.

I truly think that opt out is the way to go but at what age should it start? birth? or should it be at the age of consent?
 
littleme

littleme

250,000th poster!
Bob said:
I think I'd be more relieved to have woken up tomorrow and less concerned about how/why.
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Husband says that, but I didn't want to receive someone else's organs, and I was lucky in that I could use other parts of myself....the thought of using someone else's, or an animals (pigs) freaked me out. Maybe my view would of been different if it had been a life saving operation, not a limb saving operation.

I think the issue is should you be able to recieve an organ without being on the list to donate?
 
littleme

littleme

250,000th poster!
tek-monkey said:
I think anyone suddenly needing an organ would sign up then, wouldn't necessarily improve uptake now :(
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True. Again opt out is the only way to go.
proactive said:
Seconded.
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It must just be me! Sort of agree that yes I would wake up and be thankful, but I wouldn't necessarily like it. And I would be downright ashamed of the fact that I had received an organ whilst not being prepared to donate.
 
Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
littleme said:
I truly think that opt out is the way to go but at what age should it start?
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In the bill before the Welsh Assembly it would be at 18.

Those incapable of understanding the concept of consent* will be excepted.

*Jokes about Welsh people being too thick etc will not be deemed necessary
 
peggy

peggy

Well-Known Forumite
little bit on the BBC news today re organ donation.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22103663
 
Gramaisc

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
age'd parent said:
Been signed up for too long to remember, I recently got a new plastic donor card as the paper one was illegible, It's a shame most of the bits are getting a bit worn out now, still the students can have a bit of fun with the remains.

I do think it's about time they made it opt out though!
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Mine are still the old cardboard ones, but I laminated them - and had one stuck to the fairing of my motorbike.

It meant that I would have it in the most likely circumstances, as I often have nothing on me, walletwise. It also was a constant reminder of the potential for disaster. I might stick one in the car now....


Withnail said:
See now, that's also a very good point. Donate your whole body and funeral fees, which are ludicrously substantial, are no longer an issue.
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In Ireland, if you donate your body to science then all costs are covered - and there's an annual piss-up, too.

A friend of mine did it and it was four years before they'd finished with him and returned the ashes to be spread over Garryduff bog.
 
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