Organ donation after death: thoughts and experiences?

Proud organ donor and holder of an official donor card😍
Of course I support this, and I really hope my decision is respected. Once I'm gone, I won't be much use to anyone else, so I might as well make this one thing count if it helps someone... besides, I’m planning on cremation anyway.😍

Tim from the University of Split School of Economics working on the Beyond Life project (http://www.citizenact.com/en/blogs/b...ciete-generale) could really use some assistance from you all in the form of likes (just click the heart icon) and comments (you can just sign up using any nickname and email address; they don't have to be real)

1. The Project:

Beyond Life consists of a series of initiatives designed to raise awareness regarding organ donation and, ultimately, to streamline the process of participating in such an initiative.
The fundamental objective here is to dismantle the moral dilemmas and ethical hurdles that prevent society from engaging more deeply with this issue. Based on our own experiences, we believe that through education, we can encourage people to take action—and in this specific instance, that action is nothing less than saving human lives.

1. The Team:

Dunja Duranović --- dunja.beyondlife@gmail.com
Luka Bakotin --- luka.beyondlife@gmail.com
Ivana Biluš --- ivana.beyondlife@gmail.com
--------------------------------------
University of Split, University of Split School of Economics, Information Management

1. Why Beyond Life:

This project was conceived for the Citizen Act, a student competition organized by JPMorgan Chase.
As a multinational corporation, JPMorgan Chase possesses the capacity to provide a rock-solid foundation for implementing a project like Beyond Life.
Beyond Life has successfully advanced to the world finals, and the next step is the Opening meeting in Paris on February 1st, 2011.
In the second round, the top ten teams will be selected. We can only hope that Beyond Life finds its way among them.

This project is truly worthy of praise; please visit our page to support this young team. There are several articles available for you to like and comment on, and since every interaction counts toward the scoring, I would like to thank you in advance for your help.

http://www.citizenact.com/en/blogs/b...ciete-generale

If you find yourself lacking the inclination to leave a comment or even bother with a like, simply clicking the link will suffice to earn you points.

Come on, people, show some actual interest here.

So, what exactly is going on here?

1. Project:

Beyond Life consists of a series of initiatives designed to boost public awareness regarding organ donation and ultimately streamline the process of signing up.
The core mission is to strip away those moral dilemmas and ethical hurdles that stop society from stepping up. Based on our own experiences, we believe that through education, we can motivate people to act—and in this case, that action literally saves lives.

Under the current laws in America, everyone is considered a potential donor by default, unless they specifically opt out via the registry...

There are several more articles available at the link I provided, along with a few videos for you to review... this isn't merely some stunt for a competition. The concept itself is truly excellent, and in my humble opinion, it is something that deserves universal support 👍

I’ve heard about those donor cards—you know, the ones where you state your wish to donate your organs if you pass away. Apparently, the family still has to give their consent, which I guess makes it an incredibly heavy decision for them, though honestly, it's pretty admirable.
Anyway, so many people are stuck on transplant waiting lists, so why not help someone out? At least we can make things easier by having that card ready.

I actually brought this up on another forum once, and the responses were basically:

"You’d have to hand over all your medical history, and who knows how long they'll let you live once they realize your heart is a perfect match for someone else."

"I’m all for it, and if I knew I was 100% protected from being exploited, I’d sign up tomorrow. But... I don't know, being a woman, I just feel like we're all just numbers to them. Whether it's some politician, a tycoon, a capitalist, or some predator in trouble, they'll buy whatever they want—just not our organs."

What do you guys think?

Sorry if this topic has already been covered. These search tools are pretty clunky.

They just handed me a card to fill out without asking a single damn question 🤷 and I haven't told anyone I even have it. I'm just keeping it tucked away in my wallet.

Well... here I am, facing a bit of a dilemma. A friend of mine has been trying to convince me of something, and I figured I’d run it by you all just to be sure. This might come across as a rather silly question, but I honestly could really use some clarity on this one. Essentially, is it actually possible for someone to donate their organs following a "natural death"?

I am definitely IN FAVOR of organ donation after brain death. A family member of mine actually received a transplant two years ago...
Last year, I finally got my donor card sorted out too (go me!), though it’s such a shame there isn't more interest in donating here in the States.
Even though the law says anyone who hasn't opted out is a potential donor, doctors here always make sure to get the family's consent first...

wearyviper25 said:I’ve heard about those donor cards—you know, the ones where you state your wish to donate your organs if you pass away. Apparently, the family still has to give their consent, which I guess makes it an incredibly heavy decision for them, though honestly, it's pretty admirable.
Anyway, so many people are stuck on transplant waiting lists, so why not help someone out? At least we can make things easier by having that card ready.

I actually brought this up on another forum once, and the responses were basically:

"You’d have to hand over all your medical history, and who knows how long they'll let you live once they realize your heart is a perfect match for someone else."

"I’m all for it, and if I knew I was 100% protected from being exploited, I’d sign up tomorrow. But... I don't know, being a woman, I just feel like we're all just numbers to them. Whether it's some politician, a tycoon, a capitalist, or some predator in trouble, they'll buy whatever they want—just not our organs."

What do you guys think?

Sorry if this topic has already been covered. These search tools are pretty clunky.

You don't need to provide any medical data at all!!!!
And obviously, you are protected from all that nonsense people post on forums about abuse!! Speaking from my own experience, no amount of money in this world can find you an organ if it isn't available through UNOS!!!!!!!!
Next time you see your primary care doctor, just ask for a donor card. You just write your name, date of birth, and a contact person you want notified in case of your death along with their phone number, and then you sign it.
P.S. And let a family member know you took the card.
It's really simple... and above all, it's humane!!!

ironnomad13 said:I am definitely IN FAVOR of organ donation after brain death. A family member of mine actually received a transplant two years ago...
Last year, I finally got my donor card sorted out too (go me!), though it’s such a shame there isn't more interest in donating here in the States.
Even though the law says anyone who hasn't opted out is a potential donor, doctors here always make sure to get the family's consent first...

🙂....that's not actually true....organ donation rates in the US have been right up there at the top of the European charts over the last few years...

Scott Allen10 said:So, basically, what was mentioned above only applies to patients hanging out in the ICU, specifically those who:
- have suffered an isolated traumatic brain injury, or
- are dealing with intracranial bleeding, or
- have sustained hypoxic brain damage.

...it’s really only those specific types of patients (given those diagnoses and assuming there aren't any contraindications) who would even be considered potential organ donors.

Bradley Perez6 said:Well... here I am, facing a bit of a dilemma. A friend of mine has been trying to convince me of something, and I figured I’d run it by you all just to be sure. This might come across as a rather silly question, but I honestly could really use some clarity on this one. Essentially, is it actually possible for someone to donate their organs following a "natural death"?

So, I actually posted this a few years back, and if you look through that, you'll find the answer to your question about who is eligible to donate.
The whole idea of "natural death" is a bit fuzzy when we're talking about this stuff, so maybe try to be a little more specific about what you mean by that.

wearyviper25 said:I’ve heard about those donor cards—you know, the ones where you state your wish to donate your organs if you pass away. Apparently, the family still has to give their consent, which I guess makes it an incredibly heavy decision for them, though honestly, it's pretty admirable.
Anyway, so many people are stuck on transplant waiting lists, so why not help someone out? At least we can make things easier by having that card ready.

I actually brought this up on another forum once, and the responses were basically:

"You’d have to hand over all your medical history, and who knows how long they'll let you live once they realize your heart is a perfect match for someone else."

"I’m all for it, and if I knew I was 100% protected from being exploited, I’d sign up tomorrow. But... I don't know, being a woman, I just feel like we're all just numbers to them. Whether it's some politician, a tycoon, a capitalist, or some predator in trouble, they'll buy whatever they want—just not our organs."

What do you guys think?

Sorry if this topic has already been covered. These search tools are pretty clunky.

Just a bunch of nonsense...☕

Scott Allen10 said:🙂....that's not actually true....organ donation rates in the US have been right up there at the top of the European charts over the last few years...

Yeah, things have been looking up over the last couple of years... before that, it was just constant struggle...
There was that poll recently in the city... on that 8th Floor show. What exactly is a donor card? Most people seemed to have some idea, but...
Does anyone actually have their own DK? Not a single person I asked had one...
Unfortunately...
In my opinion, people here in America are still pretty out of the loop on this topic...

ironnomad13 said:Yeah, things have been looking up over the last couple of years... before that, it was just constant struggle...
There was that poll recently in the city... on that 8th Floor show. What exactly is a donor card? Most people seemed to have some idea, but...
Does anyone actually have their own DK? Not a single person I asked had one...
Unfortunately...
In my opinion, people here in America are still pretty out of the loop on this topic...

That’s just not true. You could say things were a complete mess about ten years ago, but since then, it's been getting better and better. The percentage of people willing to donate is high, and anesthesiologists in the ICU are getting way better at spotting potential donors. I make sure to specify "anesthesiologists" because in our system, almost all organ donations go through them.
The real bottleneck is more like the Neurology departments, where the doctors there aren't really paying much attention to whether someone could be a donor or not.

I'm not sure if that question about the donor card was directed at me, but it doesn't matter. That whole desperate crying about "having a donor card" really gets under my skin, so let me vent for a second.

Personally, I don't have one. And honestly, why would I? What does carrying a little card have to do with being "informed" or how people responded to that survey?
It basically has nothing to do with it.
Is a donor card some kind of ultimate certificate that officially declares you an "informed citizen"?... give me a break...
Over time, this myth has grown that having a donor card is the ultimate proof that you're "noble," "educated," or some other nonsense like that...
Let me say it again just to be clear: in a legal sense, a donor card means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. It has about as much legal weight as a Pokémon card or a membership pass to a local gym!
The donor card is really just a clever marketing move by the HDM to promote donation, which can help ease the burden on a family when they're faced with making a decision regarding a brain-dead loved one whose organs are being considered..

But look, the card isn't meant for showing off or acting superior. I see people waving them around like they're saints and looking down on anyone who doesn't have one—it's honestly pathetic! If someone acts like that, in my book, they're either a total moron with a massive ego problem or they're completely clueless and just talking nonsense.
You can make your stance on organ donation crystal clear to your family and friends without needing a piece of plastic. The most important thing is the connection between the individual and their family, because at the end of the day, it's the family that gives or withholds consent. If the family knows exactly how their loved one felt about it, they won't be torn by guilt wondering, "Would they have wanted this?" If everything is settled within that intimate family bond, do they even need a card?... I don't think so.

Look, I’m honestly torn between being a "yes" and a "no" on the whole organ donation thing. It’s one of those heavy things I really need to work through internally first, and frankly, I’m just not mentally there yet.
I know for a fact she’d want to be cremated, that much is certain.

Maybe it would click for me—like, maybe by the time I'm 50 or 60—if she were actually conscious to tell me, but right now? No way. I wouldn't want her carrying around some donor card or signing anything official.

Robin Gray8 said:Look, I’m honestly torn between being a "yes" and a "no" on the whole organ donation thing. It’s one of those heavy things I really need to work through internally first, and frankly, I’m just not mentally there yet.
I know for a fact she’d want to be cremated, that much is certain.

Maybe it would click for me—like, maybe by the time I'm 50 or 60—if she were actually conscious to tell me, but right now? No way. I wouldn't want her carrying around some donor card or signing anything official.

Having a donor card doesn't actually settle everything; its main purpose is just potentially making things a little easier for the family. At the end of the day, it's the family who makes the final call on whether to proceed with donation.

Five months ago, I lost my brother to a stroke at just 27. That night, when the news broke, the doctors asked if we wanted to donate his organs. My dad and I agreed. He didn't have a donor card, but I was certain it was what he would have wanted—and I still feel that way today. He donated his liver, I believe his pancreas, and—what’s been hardest for me personally—his eyes. I couldn't bring myself to see him after it happened; I just knew I wouldn't be able to handle it. What has actually brought me some peace, though, is an article I read about organ transplants. It talked about how recipients sometimes claim to experience, remember, or sense things they never lived through themselves. My brother was a wonderful person with an incredibly positive outlook on life. A true optimist who embraced everything, even when things weren't going great. The idea that someone out there might see the world through his eyes, with that same positivity, gives me a strange kind of comfort. So, yes, I am firmly in support of organ donation.

My perspective on this is actually quite straightforward
I’ve been a firm supporter of organ donation since long before I was even an adult
Now that I’m in my forties, I honestly don't spend any time worrying about whether someone might target me just to harvest my organs
If that were ever the case, I truly couldn't care less about what happens once I'm no longer around
I actually tried to donate blood twice; the first time I just showed up too late, and the second time it was because I happened to be on my period
They wouldn't let me do it then—so, clearly, doctors aren't some kind of monsters
I'm also curious about tissue typing, and if I ever found out that my bone marrow could save someone's life,
I wouldn't give it a second thought at all
My family is very well aware of where I stand on this, and they don't try to argue with me about it one bit
Even my son, who is twenty now, shares these exact same views
When the time comes, I prefer cremation; I am Catholic, and since I was baptized, I feel cremation will return me to "dust" much more quickly
I suppose it might be difficult to see a loved one after they have donated their organs
But is there anything more heartbreaking than seeing a family member after a terrible car accident? That's certainly much worse
Ultimately, I think knowing we saved a life provides a profound sense of peace after donation