Less than 3 weeks ago my family and I received a thank you letter from one of the recipients of my son's multiple organ donation almost four years ago. He died due to a traumatic brain injury-- both kidneys, corneas and many other skin, bone and tissue donations later we remain a proud bereaved family. As of April 2015 when I last inquired, 125 separate individuals had benefited from Zach's generosity and our willingness. It IS a comfort to know that some good came from his death. Please please let the one's you love know of your intentions in regard to organ donation. We had these discussions as a family when my children became drivers. Save a life.
4
Ironically, I read this article this morning - and just yesterday I spent the day at
Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California, attending a kidney transplant class which
informed us prospective recipients, of the poor odds we have to receive a kidney
from a deseased donor, and encouraged us to try to find a living donor. Most of us at the class are relatively healthy individuals, and have been enduring dialysis
for a varying number of months/years, but who is to tell how long we will remain
healthy enough for the typical 4-8 year wait at Scripps? The whole concept of
waiting that long while attempting to stay healthy is discouraging, as dialysis is such a exhausting, draining experience, done at least 3 times a week. They did mention Facebook as a way to reach potential living donors, but not being a Facebook user myself, I was not totally convinced of our ability to reach a total
stranger willing to donate a kidney to us....Living in this waiting list is somewhat
like being in Purgatory, and I try to keep a sense of humor about it, but it's
increasingly difficult....II will certainly contact all the resources you mention in
the article to investigate this further....
Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California, attending a kidney transplant class which
informed us prospective recipients, of the poor odds we have to receive a kidney
from a deseased donor, and encouraged us to try to find a living donor. Most of us at the class are relatively healthy individuals, and have been enduring dialysis
for a varying number of months/years, but who is to tell how long we will remain
healthy enough for the typical 4-8 year wait at Scripps? The whole concept of
waiting that long while attempting to stay healthy is discouraging, as dialysis is such a exhausting, draining experience, done at least 3 times a week. They did mention Facebook as a way to reach potential living donors, but not being a Facebook user myself, I was not totally convinced of our ability to reach a total
stranger willing to donate a kidney to us....Living in this waiting list is somewhat
like being in Purgatory, and I try to keep a sense of humor about it, but it's
increasingly difficult....II will certainly contact all the resources you mention in
the article to investigate this further....
3
Stranger things have happened! Actually strangers do step up to help waiting kidney patients like yourself, yes, even in California (smile). If you don't' feel comfortable asking people to be your living donor, you can share your story by way of educating about the possibility of altruistic living donation and who knows, the one who benefits just may be yourself. It is happening every day. There really are good people out there.
1
Thanks for this (and the subsequent) article. I hope it prompts many others to make their wishes for organ harvesting known.
It is a crisis when a shortage of donors results in thousand of deaths of those seeking a kidney transplant. If tweets, messages and other on line sources increases potential donors. Those needing a transplant are grateful for transplant from end of life or when appropriate a living donor.
1
Live organ donation needs further scrutiny: https://www.beaconreader.com/dan-walter/why-the-campaign-for-living-kidn...
1
Quoting the article cited above
The “terrible crisis of organ availability” is actually a public health crisis with origins in diet, lifestyle, obesity and diabetes ...
I know that it's fashionable to blame the sick for their illnesses, and some diseases are caused by "lifestyle choices," however many are not. In almost 75% of dialysis patients, kidney failure was caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. Some of these cases may be due to "lifestyle," but not all. Type 1 diabetes, for example, is an autoimmune disease and nobody's fault. Many of the remaining 25% of dialysis patients suffered kidney failure due to accidents of heredity.
I offer myself as an example. I was thin, fit, active, and seemingly perfectly healthy when in my mid-50's my kidneys failed. Fortunately my sister offered me a kidney.
So let's not be to quick to decide that nothing needs to be done because people with failing organs brought it on themselves.
The “terrible crisis of organ availability” is actually a public health crisis with origins in diet, lifestyle, obesity and diabetes ...
I know that it's fashionable to blame the sick for their illnesses, and some diseases are caused by "lifestyle choices," however many are not. In almost 75% of dialysis patients, kidney failure was caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. Some of these cases may be due to "lifestyle," but not all. Type 1 diabetes, for example, is an autoimmune disease and nobody's fault. Many of the remaining 25% of dialysis patients suffered kidney failure due to accidents of heredity.
I offer myself as an example. I was thin, fit, active, and seemingly perfectly healthy when in my mid-50's my kidneys failed. Fortunately my sister offered me a kidney.
So let's not be to quick to decide that nothing needs to be done because people with failing organs brought it on themselves.
2
That's a bit of hyperbole. No is saying that nothing needs to be done, or that a sibling or other relative should not donate a kidney to prolong the life of a loved one.
What the article is saying is that the all-out aggressive push for altruistic live organ donation is a very misguided attempt by vested interests to correct a long-term public health problem.
Furthermore, the "crisis" in organ donation is way overblown: http://bit.ly/1TEO92A
What the article is saying is that the all-out aggressive push for altruistic live organ donation is a very misguided attempt by vested interests to correct a long-term public health problem.
Furthermore, the "crisis" in organ donation is way overblown: http://bit.ly/1TEO92A
1
Back in 1982 or thereabouts, 7-Eleven was pushing their "Big Gulp" drink under the "Freedom" moniker. An end-stage renal patient surviving under the rigors of kidney dialysis, which include highly restricted quantify of liquid intake lacks the freedom to indulge in the enjoyment of a "Big Gulp" drink. My idea at the time was to have a promotional program that would provide a free small "Freedom Gulp" one per day for organ donors, as evidenced by a Government issued id (typically a state issued driver's license or a non-driver issued is) or with a food purchase of three dollars more, a full free "Big Gulp" to let organ donors know that their possible gift will bestow a person to have the freedom to once more to enjoy a Big Gulp!
A second proposal would be thus: Suppose I am on my way, driving to Huntington, Indiana, to visit and tour the Danny Quayle museum and meet my untimely demise. One of my fondest wish would be for my liver to continue to live in another life. For this to happen, it would be at the mercy of my close family, the coroner office, first responders and intake hospitals to handle the situation with common sense, timely dispatch. To encourage this to happen, my proposal was for the USA TODAY to resume the nationwide Friday obituary column specially tailored to honor the families, first responders, hospitals, coroner offices, law enforcement organization that allowed organ donation activity to take place, maybe including a thumbnail of the intake hospital.
A second proposal would be thus: Suppose I am on my way, driving to Huntington, Indiana, to visit and tour the Danny Quayle museum and meet my untimely demise. One of my fondest wish would be for my liver to continue to live in another life. For this to happen, it would be at the mercy of my close family, the coroner office, first responders and intake hospitals to handle the situation with common sense, timely dispatch. To encourage this to happen, my proposal was for the USA TODAY to resume the nationwide Friday obituary column specially tailored to honor the families, first responders, hospitals, coroner offices, law enforcement organization that allowed organ donation activity to take place, maybe including a thumbnail of the intake hospital.
1
Pretty creepy wording here.
Using Tweets and Posts to Speed Up Organ Donation
This guy is trying to shorten donation times? or get more people willing to consider donating their organs upon death? A kidney, I could maybe spare. A heart, well, you'll have to wait till I'm dead and gone.
Using Tweets and Posts to Speed Up Organ Donation
This guy is trying to shorten donation times? or get more people willing to consider donating their organs upon death? A kidney, I could maybe spare. A heart, well, you'll have to wait till I'm dead and gone.
Besides the possibility of a living kidney donation, there is also the living donation of part of your liver, and while very rare, YES, even a living heart donation. It's called a domino heart transplant and one was recently done and in the news. It happens when person is receiving a needed lung donation and there is reason to implant both the donor's heart and lung for better long term results. That lung/heart patient's heart is removed and if still good, may be used in a waiting other heart patient. Rare, not frequently done anymore, but check the UNOS on-line records and see that it is still done today.
My cousin's 23 year old daughter.died in a car accident many years ago. The daughter, had opted IN on her driver's license. This thoughtful young woman WANTED to be an organ donor. Her mother, my cousin's wife, was angry that her daughter had died and REFUSED to donate her organs. She told me (and was proud of her behavior) that she didn't answer the phone when the organ donation agencies called. It's so sad, because her daughter would have lived through the many people fortunate enough to get one of her organs.
12
Would it be possible for the donor to exclude recipients who have been convicted of certain crimes (domestic abuse, sexual assualt, animal abuse)? Donors have rights at the time of their consent and should have actual input as to where their organs go.
1
Do you seriously think that is important?
3
As hard as I have tried, I gave been unable to find survival statistics for organ transplantation and the costs associated with them. Local transplant organizations are often quick to assure me than I will not incur a cost should I donate, but that was not the question. Transplants cost approximately $300,000.00-$1,000,000.00 depending on the organ transplanted, the health of the recipient, the antirejection medications needed, etc.. After Susan Gubar's article regarding cancer meds and cost of a year of life I am more than interested in seeing the facts applied to organ transplants.
11
Here: “From a population health perspective, living kidney donors are at high risk of progressing to end-stage chronic kidney disease and ultimately requiring either dialysis or a kidney transplant over their lifetime,” writes ethicist Michael Potts. “Effectively, living kidney donation practice can no longer be considered as solving but exacerbating a future epidemic of end-stage kidney disease in a population, and for society to deal with in 20-30 years later. This population health problem will amplify the future crisis of kidney shortage for transplantation, and burden an already strained health care system.” http://bit.ly/1WpABPG
1
If you needed a transplant or had cancer,I am sure that you wouldn't question the cost. I am understanding that a kidney transplant is less expensive Han dialysis. The quality of life off of dialysis is probably Celeste.
1
Here is a link to the SRTR. http://www.srtr.org/opo/Default.aspx
It will provide you with information regarding survival statistics. You can also search by facility, and read the program reports of each medical facility that performs transplants. I had a double lung transplant almost seven years ago, and at the time, the cost (without insurance) was approximately $500,000. My medication for the first year out of transplant (without insurance) was approximately $30,000. At this stage, it's probably approximately $15,000 Before being placed on a waiting list for any kind of transplant, hospitals have strict protocols to assess your overall health and also require complete disclosure regarding the financial costs of post-transplant. I am fortunate to have had the benefit of wonderful insurance (Aetna and CVS Caremark), and my out-of-pocket costs are not that high in the grand scheme of things. My take on survival rates: they do not factor in the age of the recipient nor the ultimate cause of death. I was 37 years old at the time of my transplant, much younger than most people receiving lung transplants. I firmly believe (wishful thinking?!) that close attention to healthy living, following doctor's orders very strictly following a transplant, and above all, a positive outlook with a will to survive can help defy the survival rates!
It will provide you with information regarding survival statistics. You can also search by facility, and read the program reports of each medical facility that performs transplants. I had a double lung transplant almost seven years ago, and at the time, the cost (without insurance) was approximately $500,000. My medication for the first year out of transplant (without insurance) was approximately $30,000. At this stage, it's probably approximately $15,000 Before being placed on a waiting list for any kind of transplant, hospitals have strict protocols to assess your overall health and also require complete disclosure regarding the financial costs of post-transplant. I am fortunate to have had the benefit of wonderful insurance (Aetna and CVS Caremark), and my out-of-pocket costs are not that high in the grand scheme of things. My take on survival rates: they do not factor in the age of the recipient nor the ultimate cause of death. I was 37 years old at the time of my transplant, much younger than most people receiving lung transplants. I firmly believe (wishful thinking?!) that close attention to healthy living, following doctor's orders very strictly following a transplant, and above all, a positive outlook with a will to survive can help defy the survival rates!
1
the best way to speed up organ donation is to pay the estates of donors for the organs donated. every one in the organ donation/transplant chain makes a money on the process. no one but the donor is expected to contribute to the process free of charge. if organ donation must be free then the entire transplant process should be free to the one in need of the new organ. but of course it is impossible to imagine that doctors and hospitals would do transplants for free. The entire transplant industry is based on an incorrect moral precept that the organ donation should be free. As a result of the refusal to pay for organs there are many instances were healthy individuals are forced to make the difficult decision to under go a life threatening operation to donate an organ that they might be in need of themselves on day. I cannot see how that is morally preferable to paying for an organ when that amount would surely be one of the lowest cost items on the eventual bill.
12
Paying for organs simply opens another can of worms. Liver lobe transplants have a pretty high rate of complications, I think, but donating a kidney is pretty safe. I would not have done it otherwise. We're born with four times as much function as we need. The surgeon told me the spare is mostly helpful with traumatic injury, since most kidney diseases affect both kidneys anyway.
The reason for living donation is that living kidneys are better for the recipient than cadaver kidneys, even if the tissue match isn't as good. The less time the organ spends outside a body, the better it recovers.
The reason for living donation is that living kidneys are better for the recipient than cadaver kidneys, even if the tissue match isn't as good. The less time the organ spends outside a body, the better it recovers.
3
Let's donate invisible hands. Pay people (their families, charities) for being a donor.
5
Donating a kidney was one of the best things I ever did. A quick, safe laparascopic surgery and you've saved some worthy person's life at no detriment to your own. It is a wonderful experience and I would do it again if I could.
I urge everyone who possibly can to donate. Here's the story of how mine went down: http://www.hillaryrettig.com/2011/03/28/vegankidneydonation/
I urge everyone who possibly can to donate. Here's the story of how mine went down: http://www.hillaryrettig.com/2011/03/28/vegankidneydonation/
8
Glad the lap version is now available! I had a modified open surgery, which was not as easy, but totally worth it to see my recipient get her life back. My dad had Alzheimer's, and I felt so helpless to do anything for him, but at least I could fix up someone! Since they don't transplant the kidney into the normal kidney location, my recipient could feel the little bump on her abdomen -- it was a presence in her life, she told me later, and she even gave it a nickname.
4
The statistics you quote as implying that donation is a *safe* operation would be comparable to an airline crash a day at major airport like ORD in Chicago.
Some people might be willing to take that risk for a loved one, but it certainly exceeds what we regard as *safe* in many circumstances.
Some people might be willing to take that risk for a loved one, but it certainly exceeds what we regard as *safe* in many circumstances.
1
A big problem is the sometime competing interests of the Hospital "God's". My cousin had been told as recently by one at the CC that she was not a candidate for Heart transplantation. Nor a pacemaker, instead would just have another ablation in April. However, the same person when she became sick put her on ECMO in March. Then was suddenly suggesting she was a donor eligible and she should be put on a mechanical heart. Where every single other person in the room was shaking their head. Life with a Mechanical heart is hell, no showers, no baths, heavy batteries, that must be charged. A small women's frame can't carry around. Then a small women who basically needs the same size heart as a 8-10 year old child, who gets the heart? The child or the 50 year old with genetic underlying conditions. That the hospital God said two months ago kept her off the list.
Instead, my cousins wishes were honored and she became the donor, before her organs became unacceptable for donation. We know that at least two people got her kidneys on Easter.
Hospitals have got to reign in the Hospital "Gods" from giving families false hope. Luckily my family had a nurse with 50 years experience who could debunk the false hope.
Instead, my cousins wishes were honored and she became the donor, before her organs became unacceptable for donation. We know that at least two people got her kidneys on Easter.
Hospitals have got to reign in the Hospital "Gods" from giving families false hope. Luckily my family had a nurse with 50 years experience who could debunk the false hope.
4
I very recently made out a new health care directive. Included was the opportunity to declare myself an organ donor. (My driver's license already lists me as one.) "Sure," I said. "Won't cost ME anything, right?" The attorney corrected me. "Actually, the costs come from your estate." Something I had never considered, and something we never read about. What IS the cost? How are costs controlled?
I have informed my executor to be sure to dispute any charge for the anesthesiologist.
I have informed my executor to be sure to dispute any charge for the anesthesiologist.
8
Your attorney is mistaken. There is no cost to the donor, the donor's family, or the donor's estate for the donation itself.
However, he may be confused because the donor will still have a hospital bill from their final hospital stay. Every deceased organ donor dies in a hospital: the donor must be on a ventilator until the donation occurs. People who die somewhere out there in the world and do not go to the hospital, and instead are routed directly to the coroner, medical examiner, or funeral home, cannot be organ donors (but can be donors of eyes and bone/ skin/ heart valves/ etc).
Since every organ donor dies in a hospital, every organ donor receives a bill for their stay. There is no cost for the donation itself, however.
http://www.organdonor.gov/faqs.html
However, he may be confused because the donor will still have a hospital bill from their final hospital stay. Every deceased organ donor dies in a hospital: the donor must be on a ventilator until the donation occurs. People who die somewhere out there in the world and do not go to the hospital, and instead are routed directly to the coroner, medical examiner, or funeral home, cannot be organ donors (but can be donors of eyes and bone/ skin/ heart valves/ etc).
Since every organ donor dies in a hospital, every organ donor receives a bill for their stay. There is no cost for the donation itself, however.
http://www.organdonor.gov/faqs.html
9
Your lawyer is completely wrong.
Organ donation costs neither the next-of-kin nor the deceased's estate anything. It costs $0 to be a donor. It is very sad when professionals like lawyers think that just because they might be expert in one area that they are also expert in others. Think about all the clients he pushed away from donation because of his ignorance.
Organ donation costs neither the next-of-kin nor the deceased's estate anything. It costs $0 to be a donor. It is very sad when professionals like lawyers think that just because they might be expert in one area that they are also expert in others. Think about all the clients he pushed away from donation because of his ignorance.
6
Usually, the transplant donor network (OPO) will assume all costs going forward once a consent for donation is signed.
Have the conversation with your family and loved ones. Make sure you know what they want, make sure they know what you want.
Have the conversation with your family and loved ones. Make sure you know what they want, make sure they know what you want.
1
Although my drivers license lists me as a donor, I thought that, at 68, I was too old. Thanks to this article, I will click this link and sign up.
5
To someone who has an organ with no function, even partial function is the difference between life and death.
3
I am almost 65 and have been accepted as a nondirected donor. I had assumed that there was some cut off age but learned otherwise after I read an article about a woman in her 60's who donated. There are ALOT of tests to pass, more than if you were younger. But if you are in really good physical condition, it is do-able. I will be the "catalyst" for a chain (also something I had not been aware of as an option). I think there is a significant, potential group of nondirected/altruistic donors in the 55+ age range.
You can tweet all you want -- but if you need a Liver, UNOS doesn't allow soliciting for them under any circumstances.
Read the article again: it's about identifying potential donors to their families, not soliciting for organs that a sick person needs.
2
Why do we have to opt in to donate. Everyone should be considered an organ donor unless opting out is chosen.
26
Spain and Austria assume you are a donor unless you take the trouble legally to say you are not. They have organ donation rates of 90% or more. Other nations, like the UK, force you to make a choice when you apply or reapply for a driver's license. This last,mandated choice, has been the AMA recommendation since 1994.
6
There is a bit of legal scholarship out there that addresses this. The US Constitution offers humans specific rights and it is argued that posthumous bodily integrity is one of these rights. I am registered as an organ donor and have made my plans known to my family, but I would never make someone else donate their organs or those of a loved one because I believe in it; it might seem like a good idea to harvest at will, but, I note well, the right to bodily integrity carries over to pregnancy, and we don't want to go down that slippery slope, do we?
1
It seems to me that one way to greatly increase the number of donors is to promise them a higher place on the list if they ever need an organ. And move the ones who refuse to be donors to the bottom.
18
Completely agree. The free riders should get off the train.
5
Completely agree. Perhaps if there's a point system for determining who gets an organ (how good is the match? how close is the organ? how many years good life is the organ likely to give the recipient? etc.) add X points for each 5 years someone has been on a donor registry. This might avoid people gaming the system by signing up to be a donor when they are very sick and know darn well they will never in fact be called upon to be a donor, and might encourage young people to sign up at age 18.
Just what we need to introduce into the donation and transplant process: moral smugness.
"It's a MORAL IMPERATIVE (caps mine) to help the next of kin to make an educated decision..."
3
WE BOOMERS May often wish to become organ donors. My wife and I have had conversations with our daughter and son informing them of our wishes, which have also been articulated in our wills. The easier it is to bring the process online, the more organ donors will come forth to help others whose lives hang in the balance. There is one group that needs to be asked about organ donation: Motorcyclists, especially those who choose not to use helmets. I have it from a friend who has been an ER nurse for many years, that in the ER, such motorcyclists are given the moniker of Donor-Cyclists. Not that I remotely wish to persuade people to ride motorcycles without helmets, organ donation reframes the conversation about, It doesn't hurt anyone else if I don't wear a helmet, to I will leave my organs to others if I ride a motorcycle without a helmet. It sounds gruesome, but the fact is that if people choose to take an elevated risk by engaging in an often fatal activity, they get to leave the Earth young and beautiful and others are able to lead healthy lives because of the desire of motorcyclists to engage in high-risk behavior.
13
I've thought the same thing! Automatic donatuion in exchange for a helmet exemption.
Also, I'm a living "altruistic" kidney donor (I did for me, really -- midlife crisis takes strange forms!) Anyway, I'd love to challenge some of the diehard anti-abortion folks I've met to get evaluated for living kidney donation, especially men. How can they require *other* people to give over their bodies to save a stranger's life, and endure pain and risk, if they aren't willing to put their own bodies on the line? It's an unconditionally life-affirming gift -- and the already-born deserve a break too!
Qualifying is pretty easy -- tests to ensure the donor is a sane, healthy adult with two working kidneys. I was too small to qualify for blood donation, but kidney...no problem. I have no idea how I'd go about making this challenge, but if enough people did it, there'd be no waiting list.
have to be a healthy adult with two working kidneys.
Also, I'm a living "altruistic" kidney donor (I did for me, really -- midlife crisis takes strange forms!) Anyway, I'd love to challenge some of the diehard anti-abortion folks I've met to get evaluated for living kidney donation, especially men. How can they require *other* people to give over their bodies to save a stranger's life, and endure pain and risk, if they aren't willing to put their own bodies on the line? It's an unconditionally life-affirming gift -- and the already-born deserve a break too!
Qualifying is pretty easy -- tests to ensure the donor is a sane, healthy adult with two working kidneys. I was too small to qualify for blood donation, but kidney...no problem. I have no idea how I'd go about making this challenge, but if enough people did it, there'd be no waiting list.
have to be a healthy adult with two working kidneys.
2