To wonder how many of you not on the organ donor register

[Normalisavariantofcrazy]

Would be happy to accept an organ on behalf of yourself or a relative?

If you are, excluding health reasons, why are you not on the organ donor register? Is it just a case of not getting round to it, if so

register here

My sister was on a transplant ward. One of her fellow patients had had a liver and kidney transplant. And her family still didn't carry donor cards, because they thought it was 'yucky'. 15 years on I'm still gobsmacked at this.

Impatient they won't though because the waiting list isn't based on people's moral principles. That is a can of worms that could utterly destroy the system.

So you'll just have to let the people who you would deem "deserving" go without as well.

It is very easy to say you wouldn't accept an organ until you are dying and you are told you can go on the transplant list.

I know as I have had a liver transplant.

Impatient will be pleased to hear that I was neither a drug addict or alcoholic.

So you'll just have to let the people who you would deem "deserving" go without as well.

They are going without anyway because almost half of liver transplants go to people who have abused alcohol. If we didn't give healthy livers to those people then there would be more to help people who have cirrhosis not caused by alcohol.

We can discuss ethics until we are blue in the face, but at the end of the day I wouldn't want my liver going to an alcoholic and as I cannot specify that on the donor register than I will not upset my family by donating my organs quite possibly to people who I deem to be undeserving.

www.theguardian.com/science/2005/oct/05/drugsandalcohol.medicineandhealth

I thought alcoholics have to prove they can go without alcohol for a period of time before they are considered for a liver donation.

Impatient

Yes, people are going without anyway and people like you are contributing to the problem.

You could indeed debate ethics with my until you were blue in the face and I'd still think you were wrong.

I'd rather my organs went to a drug or alcohol abuser that carried an organ donation card themselves than my organs went to someone that didn't carry an organ donation card.

but at the end of the day I wouldn't want my liver going to an alcoholic

I get the principle, but livers aren't suitable for everyone, and no matter how much you want to help the "truly worthy", your liver simply might not work for such a person. And as such, it may go to waste.

If there's even a slight chance it wouldn't go to someone you disapproved of then surely it's a chance worth taking?

You dont need it anyway and it could "replace" the liver lost to those leaky alcoholics. Yours could be the one given to some one else

Leaky? Should say pesky

I'd rather my organs went to a drug or alcohol abuser that carried an organ donation card themselves than my organs went to someone that didn't carry an organ donation card.

That's okay by me because I would not want a donor organ. I can say this with some certainty because after a very real health scare a few years back where the doctors were discussing the possibility of a failing organ it was something I had to consider. Along with my husband we agreed that I would accept a kidney if required from a close family member but that I would not want a donor organ from anybody else.

Impatient, you might be interested to know that the vast majority of people with alcohol related liver disease who have a transplant are NOT alcoholics. In some cases, they're not even particularly heavy drinkers, just people who happen to have a lower tolerance to alcohol.

My sister died waiting for a liver. She had a congenital liver disease. But I don't think that means that she should have had priority over people who may have contributed to their liver disease. Any person who goes on the list has to meet a really stringent list of criteria. And they have as much right to a chance for life as my sister did.

Thanks to all those people who are on the organ donor list - my sister was given two livers (her first transplant wasn't successful), and had 8 years of life before she began to reject it. I'm very grateful to the families who donated the organs of their loved ones, at a time when they were deeply bereaved.

Do you have children?

Would you potentially leave them motherless when your life could be saved?

Yes, I and all my family are on the donor register. My cousin received a donor heart which sadly failed but at least it gave her a chance she wouldn't otherwise have had.

I'm not being provocative, this is a genuine question.

What difference does it make being on the organ donor register?

I know my mum wants to donate her organs and has always made it clear that if we're ever asked that is what she wants. It is the case that if I didn't know what my mum wanted a nurse could tell me that she was registered and then ask my permission? Is that the purpose of the register?

Actually when you sign up for organ donation you can specify which organs you are willing to donate. So if you are that worried about your liver going to an alcoholic you could not donate your liver. Whilst still saving lives by donating other organs.
I am in favour of the opt out system as, at the moment, around 90% of the population say they would donate organs, but only around 30% (not sure these are exact statistics but they are ball park) have actually bothered to sign up to the register. I believe that anyone who feels strongly enough that they wouldn't donate would bother to opt out.
Also, as previous posters have said, at the moment you don't have autonomy as if anything happens to you your next if kin get the final say. Personally I would like to stop them having something else to worry about at such a difficult time.

Honestly ok not being funny, in genuinely curious as to whethe your reasons for not accepting are the same as for not donating. That you worry where the organ may come from and what kind of person the were?

Does that go for your family too? Would you accept a donor organ for them?

What difference does it make being on the organ donor register?

I understand the protocol for approaching next-of-kin is different if the deceased is on the organ donor register. Also, various studies have shown that next-of-kin are more likely to consent if the deceased has registered their wishes.

I am on the list waiting for a kidney.

I am 32, 6 friends and family have been tested and none are a match so we are going onto the paired scheme with my brother as a donor (I basically swap donors with another person on the list.)

My best chance is for a cadaver kidney as I am blood group O.

Even then it's a 2 year wait on average.

I can't have children (yet?) My future is a total unknown and I am feeling pretty rough physically and mentally.

I am starting dialysis next week but even that is not a cure but a way to delay kidney failure from killing me by keeping me at 10% function. You cannot live on dialysis forever and it causes numerous health problems.

So...... I'm bloody grateful to anyone willing to register and give me the chance of a (relatively) normal life.

BTW my kidney disease is genetic and I don't drink or smoke..... when I was placed on the register I was evaluated to check I was suitable to receive an organ...... however, they didn't question my morals so maybe I wouldn't have been registered if they had!

Registered and think DH knows I am. We haven't been married long though and I don't think we've ever talked about it. Wills/life insurance, yes. Organ donation, no. Will make sure I bring it up just to be sure, but my parents know my wishes anyway so they'd be able to discuss them if they needed to.

I can't believe those saying they wouldn't want their liver going to an alcoholic or whatever. Disgusting. I hope you never have to find out what it's like to watch your child/mum/friend/relative's quality of life deteriorate as they wait on that transplant list. Doesn't even bear thinking about. My body will be cremated. If you're buried, it'll rot in the ground. If I don't need my organs I'm more than happy for them to go to someone who does. And I 100% support an opt-out system.

I thnk the logic of not registering in case your liver (for example) goes to someone who has abused their own is a bit flawed.

How about your liver going to someone who has done time in prison for a heinous crime? Or a man who had beaten his wife? Someone secretly racist, a undetected paedophile or just someone with radically opposing political views to your own? Your liver might go to a woman who as had an abortion - she once ended a life, why should you extend hers?

You will never get to know any of these things about the recipient. They may have all kinds of flaws and unflattering characteristics you know nothing about.

You either give without judgement because you believe in the system. Or you don't sign up at all.

Which is also completely fine. We are all entitled to autonomy over our own bodies.

I am absolutely 100% against an opt-out system.

So am I toffee.

Impatient You can specify which bits get donated so you could just specify your eyes. Lots of people don't want to donate eyes due to the "yuckiness" factor and you don't die without them so there are lots of people waiting and I can't think of any way you can self inflicted damage your eyes..... Sight for two is pretty amazing.

Personally I am on the list, I'm also a blood donor, a breast milk donor and on the bone marrow register. And if anyone wants my old toenails then let me know....

I'm a selfish person who has been very blessed in life and so giving away stuff I don't need / want works well for me.

Dh is not on the official list (I think) but he is on the mumoftwoyoungkids list as he's been told that in that circumstance I'll be donating unless he tells me very clearly not to. He hasn't.

The kids are not on the list as I believe they should make the decision for themselves when they understand. I think we would do the right thing if the worst happened while they were still children.