Originally Posted by sinnersdrown

I second that notion! I don't even think I'll be allowed to donate even if I wanted to.

Forgive me for asking but why wouldn't you be allowed to donate?

Originally Posted by drpatel

Forgive me for asking but why wouldn't you be allowed to donate?

I'm pretty certain just like blood donations you need to be healthy and have healthy organs, I don't fall into that category so I wouldn't be helping anybody with my organs. I'm pretty sure I can't even donate my eye tissue because of the artificial lens I have.

Even if you think you're ineligible, what's the harm in signing your donor card anyways? I'm ineligible to donate blood due to a genetic disorder, but that doesn't mean all my organs are shot. They check the suitability of organs and your medical history before taking them. They won't take them if they're no good. At the very least, your skin is probably okay and would be very much appreciated by a burn victim or something. Let the doctors make the decision about how suitable your organs are when the time comes. If they aren't in good enough condition, then at least you tried. And maybe some of your organs are actually fine.

Originally Posted by Rayine

Simply choosing not the be an organ donor isn't actually a reason; its what results from their reason. There should be a reason WHY they chose not to be an organ donor.

I'm completely for organ donation, but something about the bolded statement is off. Signing up to be an organ donor is not the default state; you don't choose NOT to be an organ donor, you choose to BE an organ donor. For example, I'm currently not an organ donor. That doesn't mean I actively chose not to be an organ donor - it just means I haven't chosen to be an organ donor yet. Why? Because the thought of signing up to be an organ donor hadn't really entered my mind until I read this thread.

Asking people to justify why they're NOT an organ donor is like me asking you the following:

Why didn't you donate a few dollars to SickKids last week?
Why didn't you volunteer at a soup kitchen this year?
Why didn't you actively fundraise for Relay for Life?

...although signing up to be an organ donor would require less work than the above, you can't possibly ask someone to justify why they didn't do every possible good deed that they could have done.

Originally Posted by TheCrucible

I'm completely for organ donation, but something about the bolded statement is off. Signing up to be an organ donor is not the default state; you don't choose NOT to be an organ donor, you choose to BE an organ donor. For example, I'm currently not an organ donor. That doesn't mean I actively chose not to be an organ donor - it just means I haven't chosen to be an organ donor yet. Why? Because the thought of signing up to be an organ donor hadn't really entered my mind until I read this thread.

Asking people to justify why they're NOT an organ donor is like me asking you the following:

Why didn't you donate a few dollars to SickKids last week?
Why didn't you volunteer at a soup kitchen this year?
Why didn't you actively fundraise for Relay for Life?

...although signing up to be an organ donor would require less work than the above, you can't possibly ask someone to justify why they didn't do every possible good deed that they could have done.

I think Kevin was referring to people who actively choose not to be organ donors...for example, were asked if they wanted to when getting their health card and said no, or received the card when getting or renewing their drivers license and decided they didn't want to become a donor.

I signed up to be an organ donor when I was 16 or so. It was a fairly natural decision even though my family worried a lot about it. They don't anymore. I was talking to my aunt who was very concerned despite being a physician herself. And I remember asking her, "Well, if you needed an organ for one of your patients, wouldn't you need a donor?"

I would only require that my body be treated with dignity because...well....the re's some creepy stuff out there.

If somebody can get a few extra years off my heart or lungs or anything else, then by all means, I hope they live a happy and peaceful life with them.

Our physiological carbon is recycled anyway. To me, this just expedites the process.

Originally Posted by nerual

Even if you think you're ineligible, what's the harm in signing your donor card anyways? I'm ineligible to donate blood due to a genetic disorder, but that doesn't mean all my organs are shot. They check the suitability of organs and your medical history before taking them. They won't take them if they're no good. At the very least, your skin is probably okay and would be very much appreciated by a burn victim or something. Let the doctors make the decision about how suitable your organs are when the time comes. If they aren't in good enough condition, then at least you tried. And maybe some of your organs are actually fine.

I'm not actively pursuing organ donation because I know they won't be suitable. I personally do not want to donate everything and the things I'd most likely donate are not safe. I should not be reprimanded for this.

Originally Posted by sinnersdrown

I'm not actively pursuing organ donation because I know they won't be suitable. I personally do not want to donate everything and the things I'd most likely donate are not safe. I should not be reprimanded for this.

You don't know they won't be suitable unless you have MD beside your name. Let the doctors decide whether they're suitable or not. What's the worst that can happen? They don't use your organs and you get buried/cremated with them.

Sorry if this is a bit off-topic, but I think we'll be growing at least some viable artificial organs in our lifetimes. Hopefully the need for organ donors decreases a lot in the coming decades so you don't have people selling their kidneys for iPads or whatever that story was..

Originally Posted by phavalan

You don't know they won't be suitable unless you have MD beside your name.

wtf? Because doctors are the only ones with access to information, right?
This is information that anyone can find out by doing research.

Originally Posted by drpatel

Forgive me for asking but why wouldn't you be allowed to donate?

Originally Posted by phavalan

Let the doctors decide whether they're suitable or not.

Why don't you people mind your own business and let her decide? You know nothing about her condition and it should be that way.

Originally Posted by Eternal Fire

wtf? Because doctors are the only ones with access to information, right?
This is information that anyone can find out by doing research.

Why don't you people mind your own business and let her decide? You know nothing about her condition and it should be that way.

Thanks, I was getting a little frustrated with all the condescension and righteousness going around regarding my circumstances.

This is personal choice, just as it is to donate time/money to a charity or a help centre for troubled youths or soup kitchen. I personally would like to donate my organs but I support whole-heartedly if someone else wishes not to do the same.

Originally Posted by drpatel

I understand that it may be prohibited by religion/frowned down upon but I still think it's a matter of choice. And hey, if worst comes to worst, if you're currently a donor and in the future decide not to be, send in the letter and tell them that you've changed your mind.

simply put: I have no use for my body once I'm dead, so I'll let someone else live...in that way, I'll technically live on (at least a part of me will) and that, ladies and gents, will be my legacy.

what was my point again?...Ah yes, people helping people.

I completely disagree, how can one still say they are following a religion if they are ignoring such a huge component of it; death? A lot of religious people pick and choose pieces of religion and even through the hypocrisy they still are "religious", but to not follow key constituents of the religion, like the body and afterlife, shouldn't that technically get rid of their "religious status"?

With that said, it's not a matter of choice if you are religious, if you identify to a certain religion, and completely go against a belief, how can you still say you're a part of that religion?

Originally Posted by sinnersdrown

Thanks, I was getting a little frustrated with all the condescension and righteousness going around regarding my circumstances.

I didn't sense any of that.

Originally Posted by sinnersdrown

Thanks, I was getting a little frustrated with all the condescension and righteousness going around regarding my circumstances.

I was feeling the exact same thing.
This started out as a thread asking people of their status and why, in order to get a glimpse of people's decisions and reasoning and it kind of turned into a argument against anyone's reason not to donate.
People need to respect others' decisions because first off it isn't always a black and white issue and second, posting belittling comments on a forum isn't going to foster change.

Of course, I would agree that in my case my skin (mind you, for grafts they prefer to use the patients own skin and not cadavers if possible) for instance would be in adequate quality, however I feel as though I would be better suited to another course. I dont want to waste a physicians time looking at my organs when I know they are not the best quality and when I know I could put my body to better use via other means.