Organ donation after death: thoughts and experiences?

I just heard the most heartbreaking story about this young dad fighting for his life—his own heart actually gave out during his last surgery. He’s been hooked up to machines in an ICU for weeks now and isn't going anywhere, mostly because the donor list is endless and he’s barely even made a dent in it.

He’s got two beautiful kids, ages 3 and 5.

What’s your take—would you sign up to be an organ donor after you pass?

Personally, I'm all for it. At the end of the day, what we leave behind for our loved ones isn't some physical body—that stuff is temporary and eventually fades away anyway—so why not give someone else a shot at life?

Then there's my friend—who heard the exact same story—saying she wouldn't want her body "violated" like that.
😕

When I grow up, I want to be an organ donor.
Honestly, the old folks lose their minds the second I bring it up. It makes things awkward at home for a few days, but I really don't care what anyone does with my body once I'm gone. You can eat my corpse for all I care—at least helping someone out is better than letting it go to waste...

I have been carrying this donor card in my wallet for quite some time now.
Perhaps, by some small chance, I might actually save a life this way...

Don't bother bringing your organs to heaven; we could really use them down here 👍 .

Angela Hill said:I’ve been carrying an organ donor card in my wallet for quite a while now.
Maybe I'll end up saving someone's life that way...

👍

Honestly, those people against organ donation could probably use a little silence too.

Why shouldn't they just keep their other opinions to themselves?

Here are some interesting takeaways from a recent debate on this thread..

my bad—didn't realize the topic was 😳

I first heard it from my family doctor. Then, through my professional work, I ended up talking to people involved in tissue typing—which is obviously a required step for transplants. And they were the ones who told me: never, ever agree to be typed! (Unless it’s absolutely necessary for my own health). The logic is that once you're in those registries, if you happen to fall ill at the wrong time, someone else—ideally someone with deep pockets—might need a match, and things could "accidentally" go sideways for you...

People don't talk about this stuff openly, but the people close to me—family, friends, colleagues—all felt I needed to be warned.

And it's not just an issue here in the States. In some parts of the world, these networks—organ trafficking, essentially—are much more organized; wherever there's demand, they make sure there's supply...

😲

I'm young, I'm healthy, and I'm pretty easy to make disappear—I don't exactly have a powerful cartel looking out for me.

I haven't signed up yet, but after hearing all this, I've been rethinking my decision lately.😕

Give it away, definitely. What good will it do me to hold onto it once I'm gone?

Check out this post

The catch is, you might just skip the whole "dying of old age" thing if someone's in desperate need of an organ and you've already signed up to be a donor.

People do all sorts of things when there's serious money on the line. 😢

I wouldn't donate a dime... I came into this world with nothing, and I suppose I'll leave it the same way... 😎

I’ve been a donor for quite some time now....

I realize that for some people, the idea of organ donation feels a bit uncomfortable, but to me, it just seems like such a deeply human thing to do... I mean, what is all this physical matter really worth when the spirit is finally set free...

I’m definitely all for organ donation—if they can use what I have to help someone else, let them take it. I actually keep my donor card right there in my wallet, and I’ve already sat down with my parents and my brother to make sure everyone is on the same page about it.

So, I actually tracked down where you go to get those cards issued—then I stumbled upon that post from Lucy

And honestly, I'm pretty sure that kind of stuff exists too. 😢

In Australia, voluntary organ donation has been the standard for quite some time.
The current system is fully computerized to ensure all donors are registered,
which allows for organs to be transferred as quickly as possible when needed.
If someone consents, they can even have "DONOR" printed right on their driver's license.

Meanwhile, in some Asian countries, people actually sell their kidneys,
and plenty of well-off individuals travel there specifically to undergo those procedures.

People tend to talk too much and watch way too many movies about organ theft.
Take the billionaire Kerry Packer, for example—he was worth billions at age 61.
He underwent several kidney transplants, the last one being from a close friend who gave him one of his two kidneys. It just goes to show that things don't always happen the scary way people imagine.
🙂 😉 😎

I’m not sure if this topic has been brought up before, but here goes. I’ve been on the donor registry for two years now, and honestly, I’m all for it—it’s a noble cause and literally saves lives. But I came across some info suggesting that donor numbers in the US aren't actually that high. It makes me wonder, though... are people just talking a big game and then looking the other way when it actually comes down to something real? Or maybe they just don't follow through?
What’s your general take on this?

Looking for someone to donate some hair. 😉

Drew Young10, I think there’s a mountain of reasons for this. It starts with the fact that organ donation isn't even a real conversation here in the States—people just aren't educated on it—but then you have the government being... well, let's just say they have their own opinions. Here’s what I’ve picked up firsthand from people working in the medical field: when I mentioned I wanted to sign up as an organ donor, a doctor friend of mine straight up told me, "Don't you dare." Apparently, alongside the official transplant waiting lists, there are these shadow lists. You know, the ones where surgeons pocket tens of thousands of dollars in cold, hard cash directly into their private accounts. If someone gets into a horrific car wreck and ends up near death, and their organs happen to be a match for some wealthy patient ready to pay for a spot at the top of the list... they don't even try to save the victim. Instead, they just call the paying patient, prep them for surgery, put a cooler in the drawer, let the poor soul die, and the whole shady transplant operation begins for a massive payday.

I used to hear these stories all the time and figured it was just baseless paranoia, but once a doctor actually sat me down and told me the truth... 🙄 😲 😠

Hey, where am I supposed to actually get one of those cards? I mean, I’ve already told my whole inner circle—my boyfriend, my friends, even my parents—that they should definitely take whatever they need from my estate if anything happens to me... but is just telling them enough? Or do I actually need to be officially listed on some kind of card?
Honestly, I couldn't care less what happens to my body once I'm gone... but if I'm going to kick the bucket, why not make it useful for someone else? Though, if there's any other way to leave a little something behind, I'd probably prefer that.

I actually picked mine up and signed everything right at a trade show where an American donor network had a booth set up. And honestly, if you’re really looking to get a card, I bet any hospital would point you toward the right office. You could probably just look it up online, too.
Another thing: I get the skepticism, really. There are definitely some butcher-style doctors out there making a killing off terrible situations, but they aren't everyone. Plus, I think most doctors still take some kind of oath where they swear to protect patient rights. You have to trust people sometimes! 🙂