A Bit of Irony Pertaining to Organ Donors

4 I've long been a strong advocate of encouraging people to sign on as organ donors. Personally, I signed the form and put the pink dot on my very first California driver's license at the age of 16. I've been a blood donor for decades and am on the National Marrow Registry.

What struck me this morning was this: Those people whom we'd most like to sign on for the various tissue donor programs (that is, the relatively young and the relatively healthy) are also those people who are least likely to have adequate insurance coverage and therefore most likely to be denied the very lifesaving treatments that they enable.

Meanwhile, simply by virtue of economics and simple good fortune, others benefit even though they themselves may have long refused to participate as a donor and/or created their own need by lifestyle choices.

Already the wealthy have an advantage regarding organ transplantation because they can sign up on every regional list (not to mention internationally) with the expectation that their wealth permits them to be anywhere in the country within 6-8 hours.

It's hard for me to look at my uninsured nephews and encourage them to be tissue donors knowing that they would be denied a transplant for the inability to pay for it.
I agree! It's sickening in this country, but nobody wants to reform healthcare. I am an organ donor with poor insurance coverage as a student. I can donate my organs but cant receive any if I needed it.

That is an interesting point. I really do see where you're coming from.However, just because someone may have neglected their own organs doesn't mean if I were to pass away that I wouldn't want to give them a second, or even a third, chance at a better life. Would I like for my heart to go to someone like John Q's son? Hell yeah! Will that happen? Probably not. The more people that sign up as donors the better the chance of saving the person that "deserves," for lack of a better word, the organ(s).Again, I definitely see where you're coming from, but I would feel selfish dying with all these healthy organs and leaving them to rot. Even if they were going to the hypothetical undeserving fatcat.

Hmmm, so 'nephew' I don't wanna suggest that you donate your organs because it would be unfair to you if YOU got sick...and you couldn't get someone elses organs because you don't have good enough insurance. Wow.As if there isn't a shortage of organs as it is!

My mom specifically told me NEVER to put organ donor on my license. She believes that if I were in an accident or whatever and very critical, the hospital would not try as hard to save me if they knew I was an organ donor because she's heard stories. My brother died in a car accident, FWIW, so I think that's part of her fear.

Quote from kittahmy mom specifically told me never to put organ donor on my license. she believes that if i were in an accident or whatever and very critical, the hospital would not try as hard to save me if they knew i was an organ donor because she's heard stories. my brother died in a car accident, fwiw, so i think that's part of her fear.

Quote from kittahMy mom specifically told me NEVER to put organ donor on my license. She believes that if I were in an accident or whatever and very critical, the hospital would not try as hard to save me if they knew I was an organ donor because she's heard stories. My brother died in a car accident, FWIW, so I think that's part of her fear.

Plenty of young people do have insurance and can get it a) through their parents b) through college or c) through work. I've worked full-time since I was 17 years old, so being young does not mean people can't get insurance. I think it makes sense to for everyone to sign on as an organ donor, and don't believe that younger people have less access to insurance. Insurance is actually CHEAPER for the young and the healthy, so they could go on to the internet and purchase a policy if that was a priority for them. (I am working p/t now, so that's exactly what I did.)

Quote from kittahmy mom specifically told me never to put organ donor on my license. she believes that if i were in an accident or whatever and very critical, the hospital would not try as hard to save me if they knew i was an organ donor because she's heard stories. my brother died in a car accident, fwiw, so i think that's part of her fear.

Although I do understand the irony, I still see no reason to allow that to stop you from signing up as an organ donor, or from encouraging others to do so.Bottom line is that your organs aren't going to do you any good once you're dead, but they might benefit someone else. It doesn't help anyone to let them go to waste.

Quote from 2011NursingStudentI... don't believe that younger people have less access to insurance.

I personally believe you should do good things because of the love that is in your heart. I do not think you should or should not do a goodwill for others based on what you get in return or what would happen if you were in a similar situation. You never really know what would or would not happen anyway. Charity is about helping people, not what you can or can not get. I am an organ donor because I would like to think that when I die my body will give life to someone who would otherwise die. I do not think of whether or not I would get a liver if I was in that situation.

Quote from 2011NursingStudentPlenty of young people do have insurance and can get it a) through their parents b) through college or c) through work. I've worked full-time since I was 17 years old, so being young does not mean people can't get insurance. I think it makes sense to for everyone to sign on as an organ donor, and don't believe that younger people have less access to insurance. Insurance is actually CHEAPER for the young and the healthy, so they could go on to the internet and purchase a policy if that was a priority for them. (I am working p/t now, so that's exactly what I did.)