Organ donation

[AlphabetMummy]

Ive just learnt that the law is only changing for adults to opt out, and children will still need parental permission. Ive looked and looked, but am failing to find the answer - how do I register my kids on the list??
(Btw, i dont need any help on the decision, ive decided, id give their organ's end of)
Thanks x

You don’t need to register them. You just need to give permission in the unlikely event that something happens and they become suitable candidates for organ donation.

With that ‘old system of the organ donation register you were only ever expressing your wishes. Permission had to be given by the ‘owner’ of the body, your next of kin. Can the next of kin nolonger withdraw permission after death?

I wanted to make sure theyre registered in the unlikely event that something happened to all of us and we wernt there to give permission.
I think next of kin can still overrule, but rather than expressing wishes to be an organ donor, you opt out now, so youre automatically on the list unless you opt out.

www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/register-your-details/ - you can register here at any age. They would still speak to the next of kin (so even if something happened to the parents too they’d speak to other relatives etc) so it’s worth letting extended family know how you feel. Not everyone is suitable for organ donation - it can often take a few days to come to the decision that someone is definitely not going to survive but their organs are in a condition to be suitable so in the unlikely event that something happened to children and both parents there would be time to find other family members to ensure that what was happening was what the family would have wanted.

God knows how you can even think about this. I cant think of anything more upsetting or morbid. Enjoy your children's lives, not think about their hopefully unlikely deaths.

God knows how you can even think about this. I cant think of anything more upsetting or morbid. Enjoy your children's lives, not think about their hopefully unlikely deaths.

You just do. I don't find it particularly difficult. I don't like to think about my children's deaths or any loved one's death, but I feel strongly about the chance to save lives through donated organs and for many bereaved families, it creates some meaning and peace in a loss. Nor does thinking briefly about it and sorting the paperwork stop you from "enjoying your children's lives".

You are out of line for trying to make the OP think she is wrong or unnatural in thinking about this.

If something happened to me, my child or a member of my family, I would hope we would be fortunate enough to receive an organ if it would save or extend our life. I could not accept an organ, even for my child, if I was not prepared to give one. I imagine if I were in that situation I would struggle to make the right decision in the hopes my child would somehow survive or a need for him to be 'whole' but I sincerely hope my logic would take over and I would make the right decision. I know DHs view is they can use every last piece of him and what they can't/don't use, they can test on or whatever.

Breaks my heart to think about it but ultimately it's better to do some good in this world than decompose in a hole.

@Crystal87 because lots of people have been in the position of having to actually consider their children's lives may be cut short. I know I certainly have.

God knows how you can even think about this. I can’t think of anything more upsetting or morbid. Enjoy your children's lives, not think about their hopefully unlikely deaths.

Attitudes like this are why organ donation wishes are overruled by next of kin. It’s right to make what you want to happen known in the event of tragedy known so it’s easier for whoever is left behind. My husband knows I can go for spare parts and I’m giving away anything of him that’s useful if he dies first.

God knows how you can even think about this. I can’t think of anything more upsetting or morbid. Enjoy your children's lives, not think about their hopefully unlikely deaths.

Hopefully seeing that other parents who are making this decision now, while clearheaded, will lead you to understand that by doing so these parents are saving lives .

I could not imagine the pain of having a child waiting for donor organs knowing that people simply won’t donate because when they could think clearly and make the decision, other people made them feel inhuman for doing so. And then when put in those parents face that terrible reality, they simply were too overwhelmed to make the decision to donate in a timely manner.

God knows how you can even think about this. I can’t think of anything more upsetting or morbid. Enjoy your children's lives, not think about their hopefully unlikely deaths.

Thanks to people like OP, there are many parents who are actually getting to "enjoy their children's lives", instead of planning their funerals.

OP it's great that not only would you be willing to donate your children's organs, but that you're putting the effort in to make sure your wishes are properly registered.

I think there is nothing worse than not making a decision and not being able to (though dying yourself etc), or having to make that decision at the most difficult time in my life! If one of my children was dying, id rather spend the time devoted to them, than trying to make hard decisions like this!
Same as a will for adults really! Need to do it so everyone knows whats happening! Nothing worse than everyone being upset your dead and having to decide with what happens to the children :(!
Plus, once youve made the decision you never really have to think about it again :D

I do agree that you cant be willing to accept an organ donation if you wont give!

But ultimately i was reading an article that highlighted how little children were on the register, and that the wait for a child donation is usually double that of an adult, because people are less inclined to let their young children be organ donors!
Each to their own, and I understand why some people wouldnt want to even think about it let alone do it when it came to it. But if some silver lining can come from something so negative, then im all for it!
Xx

I'm the same as you, if I know need them they can take whatever can be used. My kids definitely registered at13/14

the wait for a child donation is usually double that of an adult, because people are less inclined to let their young children be organ donors!

That’s understandably, isn’t it? I think it’s quite easy to be “all for it” when it’s an abstract concept, but when a child has actually died it’s very, very hard for some parents to go through with the organ donation. There have been some posters on here who explained really eloquently why they couldn’t bring themselves to donate their child’s organs. I wouldn’t judge anyone who ended up making that decision.

Oh no i wouldnt judge anyone who couldn't face doing it for whatever reason, im sorry if it came across that way, that was just what the article i read said, and got me thinking about it. Its a totally personal decision! And i think theres so many of those in the world, that dont need anyone else to pass judgement on - same as cremation or burial etc. Death of a loved one is such a personal journey! The only persons opinion anyone should have to listen to and take heed of is the other parent of any children!

I'm fairly sure we registered our baby (he's 6 months) for donation at the same time as registering him for the doctors surgery, or even when he was born. He had a letter through in the post with his donor card telling him that he had to speak to his loved ones so they could respect his wishes. Lol.

Hehe just imagining a 6 month old dribbling on the card trying to tell people hehe!! Ill ask GPs then! Thanks x