Are You an Organ Donor? Living Donor? *Not Soliciting, Just Curious

Updated on May 14, 2012
M.G. asks from Fairfield, CA
23 answers

Hi everyone, I am listed as an organ donor on my driver's license and am also thinking of becoming a living donor as well. I plan on speaking with my physicians to see if this is possible. I would, in some way, be it either living or after I'm gone to be able to enable another to have life or a better life. I was given a bone graph from a cadaver when I was in a horrible accident ten years ago and that is something I will be forever thankful for because without it my leg would've had to be amputated. Does anyone else have experience in this area? Are you open to being an organ donor after death or perhaps even are a living donor? I know this is a left-field question to ask total strangers but hey what can I say my curiousity has got the best of me. :)

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I am an organ donor. I see no reason in the world (religion included) why one would not be. I also donate blood regularly. Have also donated hair - but I don't think that one really counts.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I am listed as an organ donor on my license. I don't think I would ever be a living donor to a stranger, but I would definitely donate to a close friend or family member. I have given blood many times.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.Q.

answers from Bellingham on

Yes, registered donor. Don't take your organs to Heaven. Heaven knows we need them here (from an old ad).

My friend recently donated one of his kidneys.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.W.

answers from Santa Barbara on

They can take whatever they can use!! I have a couple more years before I can be put back on the bone marrow registry because they require a five year wait after the spinal fusion surgery I had, I try to give blood as often as possible because when I needed it I had to wait nearly 36 hours for it in the hospital for the first one.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

I am a donor. I figure what am I going to need my organs for when I am dead. But I know that is against some religions to be.

2 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I am a registered organ donor. Not just on my driver's license but in my living will as well. Once I die my body is to be donated to science. Since we are on the East Coast - Johns Hopkins is my choice. If we were on the West Coast, it would be my alma mater, UCLA. My husband, best friend, parents, sister, brother and children know my wishes.

I have been registered as a marrow donor since 2005 when my very good friend died from host-graft disease (she was cured of luekemia but died of the complications from host-graft).

My dear friend, Erin, gave one of her kidney's to her husband. I know - WHAT?! Yes! She was a perfect match! God works in mysterious ways. This happened in 2007. She had to go through almost a year of pre-screening and psychological evaluation to ensure that if her husband should die, she would understand it was NOT her fault, etc.

One of my friends is also a marrow donor. He came out here from Texas to give his marrow to a child and saved that child's life!! He was in pain. It hurt, but it was worth it.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.B.

answers from Atlanta on

I am on the national bone marrow registry, and I would encourage everyone to do that! It's desperately needed -especially in minority populations -and it's SO easy to get the kit and get on the registry!

I'm contemplating leaving my body to science, but I haven't decided exactly what to "do with myself" after death yet.

2 moms found this helpful

C.W.

answers from Lynchburg on

Hi proud mama-

I am an organ donor (on license) as are all my kiddos of driving age.

One of my daughters 'would' have benefited from a heart transplant at birth...but because she was premature (in addition to cardiac issues), she was considered a 'waste of a heart'...We opted for 3 open heart surgeries to palliate the heart she has. If more donors were available, we would have opted (and perhaps been considered) for one.

We also opted (for her) gortex repair (rather than cadaver) because of the greater risk (in her case) for infection if a cadaver part 'went bad'.

We have not done 'living' donations...well...except HAIR!

I wish more folks would consider...and become organ donors...and state it IN WRITING, and make next of kin aware before tragedy strikes...

Good on you!
Michele/cat

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

I.G.

answers from Seattle on

I am an organ donor and may become a living donor for my mom, sister or my nieces who have heritable kidney disease.
I am not eligible to give blood or marrow because I lived in Europe during the 1980's and 90's - because of concerns about mad cow disease. But I donated regularly when I still lived back home.
DH is a donor as well.

1 mom found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

I'm listed as an organ donor on my license and I am registered on the bone marrow registry.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.V.

answers from Phoenix on

I'd love to, but as a non citizen I don't know the procedure of organ donor if I die here. Because if I die, for sure there will be paperwork with embassy, flights and everything. Being a donor in Indonesia is possible, but I don't know how to inform the doctors if I want to ( we have no driving license or state ID that also says we are donors). Many rich Indonesian run to Singapore to be in waiting list. Also, few weeks ago there was in the news that 3 Indonesian laborers found dead and their organs are missing. Many babies were lost and found death with missing organs, their bodies were found in an island near Singapore ( they must be killed by organ mafia, due to lack of organ donors) . If only my country could adopt the system here. The insurance may be bad, but I must give thumbs how people here are willing to be a donor, volunteer and how the gov address their willingness to help.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Kansas City on

It's on my license and my husband and family are well aware that they can donate whatever of my organs that can be used. It's not like I'll need them anymore.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.M.

answers from Chicago on

I tried to give blood recently and b/c I've had a corneal transplant (2x), I am not eligible to ever give blood. It makes me wonder if I am even eligible to donate my organs. As one who has benefited from others' gift of organ donation, of course I'd want to do the same.

1 mom found this helpful

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

Yes both my husband and I both are organ donors.

Right now my uncle has been on a waiting list for a liver for 2 years. We are still praying he can get one sooner than later.

He was at work as a janitor and someone flushed a needle down a toilet. When he went to unclog the toilet he was stabbed by the needle and has been living with Hepatitis C for 15 years now. They are doing everything they can to keep him healthy but with each relapse he has its worse than the last one. The Drs have told him that he needs a liver very soon or one of the next relapses could be his last.

Even though I have been an organ donor for the past 19 years this has made my belief in being one even stronger.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.W.

answers from Syracuse on

Yes, I am an organ donor. My aunt received a kidney from an organ donor who unfortunately died in a car accident, she is alive and well today because of it. She had been on the waiting list for years. I think it's a very good thing that she was able to receive this gift.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Yes and yes.

A great place to start is www.bethematch.com to join the national registry for bone marrow!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.G.

answers from Dallas on

I am an organ donor on my license and with the state registry. I look at it as I won't be needing any organs after I'm gone so why not give someone else a chance at life ? I haven't thought about a living donor though. Might have to give that some thought.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B..

answers from Dallas on

No. My husband and I aren't. We have reasons, and not helping people...is not one of them!!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.S.

answers from Seattle on

Yes, I'm a donor on my license and have been a living donor as well (kidney, given to my father). I haven't considered being a living donor for anything else.

Good on you for thinking of ways to give back now, especially since you've already been the recipient of someone else's generosity.

You can contact me directly if you want to know anything about my surgery and the whole experience.

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Yes and I have told everyone, take whatever and anything that is useful..

I heard Facebook was going to have a way to indicate that we are donors. I need to look into it.

Updated

Yes and I have told everyone, take whatever and anything that is useful..

I heard Facebook was going to have a way to indicate that we are donors. I need to look into it.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.T.

answers from New York on

I am listed as an organ donor on my drivers license, and my husband and daughter know that this is my preference. My daughter is almost 17 and signed the organ donor line on the back of her permit. She also donates blood every two months.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

I am an organ donor. I didn't know you could register as a living donor.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.R.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter had a heart transplant at age 16. She got the heart of a 12 year old boy that had died in a 4 wheeler accident. Needless to say that event touched so many lives that there are several hundred people that are now on the organ donation list.

Neither my husband nor I can give blood any longer. (Hubby had hepatitis A, and I am on heart meds).

I will address the one that had the corneal transplant. Most organs can still be transplanted. The doctor told my daughter that if she were to be killed in an accident that her organs could be used for tranplant.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions