The gift of life...

[Roughneck]

I just realized that our resident population here is fairly young.... other than a few rickety old gits like myself and a few others that is.

Anyway, I just realized that it is almost time for my apharesis donation again. Which led me to this topic.

How many of y'all here are:
1. Blood donors/plasma donors
2. Donors of platlets
3. Organ Donors (or registered as organ donors)
4. Marrow Donors (or registered as marrow donors)

I'm registered for 3 and 4 (The wife donated part of her bone marrow to a 10 year old with leukemia a few years ago). I donate blood and since the kids have left home, I've started donating platelets again.

Remember, signing up for organ donation [US residents usually do this with their drivers license] doesn't automatically enable you to donate marrow (separate product with separate matching methods).

'Tis, as they say, is the season for giving.
Let your gift this season, be the gift of life.

Links:

American Red Cross
International Red Cross
National Marrow Donor Program
Caitlin Raymond International Registry (for international/non-American resident marrow donors).

Give it a shot.


cheers,


PS: Votes are private

 

[Iamforever]

i dont let anyone stick needles in me for strangers.

 

[Aegis]

I haven't donated, and I haven't registered for anything. I really don't like needles, so I doubt that I would ever become a blood donor. But I'm thinking about donating my organs when I'm dead. Might as well let others benefit from by then. :dunno:

and related to this, I don't know how to perform CPR. At least not in a way that could help anyone. I really should learn that as well.

 

[BNF]

I haven't given blood and I'm not registered to donate either. No reason other than the fact that it hasn't entered my mind.

BTW Roughneck, can you, if you think this thread is the place, clarify whether or not hospitals profit from a donated body. (The implication that the good samaritan's family receives nothing, yet the hospital "sells" the organs for a nice profit.)

 

[ThatRedWing]

I have donated blood since my Mother got sick. She had to have many transfusions in her two year fight with cancer. Someone had to donate for her so it's least I can do to donate for someone else.
I love you Munchkin, RIP KMB 1950-2003

 

[KungFuDude]

I'm a registered organ donor on my drivers license. I wasn't aware I had to register to donate bone marrow. :dunno:

 

[Roughneck]

BTW Roughneck, can you, if you think this thread is the place, clarify whether or not hospitals profit from a donated body. (The implication that the good samaritan's family receives nothing, yet the hospital "sells" the organs for a nice profit.)

Not entierly sure what you're asking, but let me try.

Far as I know - Iran is the only country where an individual can sell his/her organs to another.

All other nations have restrictions (if not outright bans) on sale of organs.

In the United States, The National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 makes it illegal for any profit or sale of organs. And given the serious nature (and extent of regulations) of OPTN (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network - regulatory body of Federal government); I'd be very safe in saying that organ sales in the US is virtually non-existent.

A hospital caught making profits from organ sales would be shut down and all responsible characters be facing criminal charges.

Now about the black market? Hard to say - I've never heard of any cases here in the Mid-West, the West or the North-East. I haven't worked health care in the South, so I can't even speak from personal experience...

Personally, I'm in full favour and support of selling ones own organs (or blood etc.) but thats a different day, different thread

That help answer your question?

cheers,


PS: Forgot to add --- many times, families donate the body (or the deceased themselves will it) to research. This is how we procure bodies and organs for research and for other mundane (but equally important) needs like anatomy labs. Again, it has to be a voluntary donation.

 

[om3ga]

Can't stand needles - I spent a lengthy time in hospital during my teens and that's left me VERY averse to having my skin punctured....

 

[jod0565]

I was interested years ago, but when my father was ill and had to have blood transfused, he became a full blown diabetic needing the insulin injections from then on. He was not diabetic before that.
My blood may be good but it may be bad. I don't give blood voluntarily.
Nice thread, Roughneck.

 

[YMIHERE]

I would like to give blood but they will not take it. I have thalassemia. More precisely I am carrier of the gene for thalassemia. If I and a woman carrier of thalassemia had a baby it would be a really sick kid. I got thalassemia from only one parent and not both. People with thalassemia have a genetic defect of their red blood cells that affects the cells' ability to produce normal hemoglobin. Red blood cells use hemoglobin to carry oxygen to tissues. As a result of the defect, most forms of thalassemia produce a chronic, lifelong anemia.

Thalassemia has its bright side for I am immune from malaria. The malaria germ can not attach itself to blood cells that are not oval. It’s a shame they would not use my blood for someone else. My blood usually has a high level of THC. It could be used as medical marijuana blood

 

[Calm]

I haven't donated, I'm saving my stuff for a family member of friend.
If I were to die young enough to donate oragns or anything needed then sure, I'd do it.

 

[SandeeW.Fan]

I haven't donated, I'm saving my stuff for a family member of friend.

That was exactly what I wanted to post.
My vote went on I have not donated nor registered but I am interested

I hope I won't have to give anyone my kidney or something else that is inside me, but if it will be needed, I think I'd do it.

 

[stockfisch]

I´ve donated blood actually 46 times.
I´m a registered Organ and Marrow-Donor.

And sorry, i can´t understand some opinions in this thread.
Maybe sometimes u need people like Roughneck, his wife ...... and me!! Think about that!!!

 

[Gordar]

Can stand needles (I inject myself 4 times a day) but I've never donated blood.

The doctors can take any piece of me they want as soon as I'm dead (which won't be soon, I hope).

 

[Iamforever]

The doctors can take any piece of me they want as soon as I'm dead (which won't be soon, I hope).

they cant have me. i am going to be cremated and spread out near home plate at the field that i played on the most. :thumbsup:

 

[bigbadbrody]

I wish I could donate my blood, because my sister has cancer and it would make the both of us feel a whole lot better. But there is a major road block stopping me from donating it. I myself have a disease (hemacromatosis(sp?)) which means my blood is over loaded with iron.

I have to get flabotamys (sp?), which is pretty much the same thin as donating blood, the only difference is that the hospital does not keep my blood

 

[Roughneck]

*bump*

 

[Sutekh35]

It's one of these things I keep saying I'm going to do tomorrow,but then tomorrow never comes. Quite ashamed really as if I was in an accident or seriously ill, there would be the organ or blood available for me to maybe make a full recovery. I guess some people are more altruistic than others.

 

[Roughneck]

Sutekh:

Stop feeling bad or guilty....

.... start doing something about it


cheers,

 

[calpoon]

organ donor, but haven't gave any away yet.

tried to give blood a couple times, but they couldn't ever get a good vein. too much shooting up dope, ya know. no not really, I guess they just don't stick out very much, even after I chug a grip of water.