On Organ Donation

[artemis]

Christmas carol time requires great food,champagne and other drinks. I try hard not to miss it. It is a big part of banking the good times with friends and after some lubrication we believe we can sing but the neighbors might doubt it. There are five medicos in our group this year. We lost one of our group since last year.

Well enjoy!

Good food, champagne and singing - sounds like lots of fun!

 

[JohnK]

Do those same religious beliefs permit organ transplants?

From the scriptures or current church position?

Organ donation was not mentioned in the scriptures for very obvious reasons.

Personally I don't pay too much attention to the position of the church. I don't have to answer to the church and I also don't agree with their decision making as it is all about money and tackling falling congregation numbers.

Religion does not need to evolve.

 

[Princess Fiona]

From the scriptures or current church position?

Organ donation was not mentioned in the scriptures for very obvious reasons.

Personally I don't pay too much attention to the position of the church. I don't have to answer to the church and I also don't agree with their decision making as it is all about money and tackling falling congregation numbers.

Religion does not need to evolve.

So what I think you are saying is that your beliefs need to be respected not necessarily your religious beliefs or am I mistaken ?

 

[JohnK]

So what I think you are saying is that your beliefs need to be respected not necessarily your religious beliefs or am I mistaken ?

My religious beliefs.

The position statement of the church does not represent my religious beliefs or my thoughts on the subject.

 

[phily]

I think it is up to my relatives to do what they think is best for them, as they are the ones who have to cope with me passing away.

It doesn't seem right to me that I can carefully consider what I want to happen to my body during my life and after my life, including the choice of burial or cremation, but my carefully considered choice of organ donation can be over-ridden by someone in my family. I can sign a government form regards organ donation, but a relative can simply reject that declaration based on their own wishes.

The view has been expressed in this forum that some people don't want to donate their organs as they'd like to be buried or cremated "whole", and I'm sure that relatives of organ donors will also have similar views. It's such an odd attitude to me. Once we're dead, our body slowly becomes useless. If we're cremated, as the majority are nowadays, we quickly become just a bucket of dust. I just don't see any value or need for our bodies to remain "whole", for we don't remain "whole" for very long after death anyway.

Given the poor rate of organ donation in this country, and the economic and personal costs that result, I'd like to see the removal of the right of veto that is given to family members over one's consent to organ donation.

 

[QF WP]

And sorry for all the posts - transplantation is what renews my faith in humankind. Every. Single. Time.

There is no need to be sorry, your posts have been far reaching in the debate as a practitioner in the field. There is much we can learn from you (I certainly have) and you compliment the other medicos amongst our membership

 

[Pushka]

It doesn't seem right to me that I can carefully consider what I want to happen to my body during my life and after my life, including the choice of burial or cremation, but my carefully considered choice of organ donation can be over-ridden by someone in my family. I can sign a government form regards organ donation, but a relative can simply reject that declaration based on their own wishes.

The view has been expressed in this forum that some people don't want to donate their organs as they'd like to be buried or cremated "whole", and I'm sure that relatives of organ donors will also have similar views. It's such an odd attitude to me. Once we're dead, our body slowly becomes useless. If we're cremated, as the majority are nowadays, we quickly become just a bucket of dust. I just don't see any value or need for our bodies to remain "whole", for we don't remain "whole" for very long after death anyway.

Given the poor rate of organ donation in this country, and the economic and personal costs that result, I'd like to see the removal of the right of veto that is given to family members over one's consent to organ donation.

I guess everyone doesn't need to understand everyone else's position. Just accept them as valid for them.

And economic arguments for organ donation sure aren't going to change their values and beliefs. The morality ones might.

 

[BAM1748]

From the scriptures or current church position?

Organ donation was not mentioned in the scriptures for very obvious reasons.

Personally I don't pay too much attention to the position of the church. I don't have to answer to the church and I also don't agree with their decision making as it is all about money and tackling falling congregation numbers.

Religion does not need to evolve.

Yes, no church should play a part in medicine and morals, some are not in any position to do so. (also goes with govt)

Matt

 

[phily]

I guess everyone doesn't need to understand everyone else's position. Just accept them as valid for them.

I accept other people's feelings about whether to donate their own organs after their death. But I have serious problems in other people having the right of veto over my formal declaration to donate my organs after death.

 

[get me outta here]

Yes, completely agree. We have a separation of powers ... supposedly.

Yes, no church should play a part in medicine and morals, some are not in any position to do so. (also goes with govt)

Matt

 

[artemis]

I guess everyone doesn't need to understand everyone else's position. Just accept them as valid for them.

And economic arguments for organ donation sure aren't going to change their values and beliefs. The morality ones might.

Renal transplantation pays for itself after about one year. So that's good from the Government perspective when balancing the health budget.

But consider the economic benefit to the parent who, once transplanted, can work rather than rely on a disability pension. Who can then be home to spend time with their child, helping with homework which will result in better literacy and its attendant economic (yet distant) benefits.

The economics of transplantation are about benefitting the recipient and their family, more than the government. So I think that in this case to delineate between economic or morality arguments is probably difficult. Unless one feels that it's ok that people with chronic diseases should be penalised financially. Which is what happens, unfortunately.

 

[Clivem]

For those willing to be a donor, apart from having placed oneself on the Australian Organ Donor Register and discussing your wishes with those close to us, is there anything else that can be suggested (may just be a little thing) that can assist further in having a wish to be a donor being realised ?
Any further insight or advice from those active or with experience in the field would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Pushka]

I accept other people's feelings about whether to donate their own organs after their death. But I have serious problems in other people having the right of veto over my formal declaration to donate my organs after death.

Yes. I understand your thoughts and agree.

As far as using the value of the $ in influencing people's decision whether or not to donate, if I was in the camp of not agreeing with donation then the mere mention of the financials would ensure my position wouldn't change. Because I would then think that it was a $ amount that was driving the discussion. Like, let's take that kidney/liver/ etc to save the Government some money. You really think that's going to influence anyone?

As far as I can see the only thing that would influence others to donate is to emphasise the quality of life you could give to others as your final act on earth.

 

[Princess Fiona]

For those willing to be a donor, apart from having placed oneself on the Australian Organ Donor Register and discussing your wishes with those close to us, is there anything else that can be suggested (may just be a little thing) that can assist further in having a wish to be a donor being realised ?
Any further insight or advice from those active or with experience in the field would be appreciated. Thanks.

Those two things are very important. The most important being that your family knows of your wishes.
In Queensland but not other states as far as I'm aware you can have an Advanced Care Directive which includes a directive on organ and tissue donation.

At least one patient every week dies waiting for a transplant.

 

[get me outta here]

Yes, I have an advanced care directive, it covers all sorts of useful things. I got it on-line to cover me in the State that I spend most of my time in. It's a good idea to also make your GP aware of it so that the Doc can scan it into your records, as your GP may well be contacted if/when you are admitted to a local hospital, or things get terminal for you.

But, AFAIK, all these preparations get over ruled if you family deny your wishes. Not sure what happens if you have no family. The only way to guarantee it is if we had a an opt out system.

Those two things are very important. The most important being that your family knows of your wishes.
In Queensland but not other states as far as I'm aware you can have an Advanced Care Directive which includes a directive on organ and tissue donation.

At least one patient every week dies waiting for a transplant.

 

[k_sheep]

For those willing to be a donor, apart from having placed oneself on the Australian Organ Donor Register and discussing your wishes with those close to us, is there anything else that can be suggested (may just be a little thing) that can assist further in having a wish to be a donor being realised ?
Any further insight or advice from those active or with experience in the field would be appreciated. Thanks.

Another thing to do is to register to be a bone marrow donor! Of course, this one has the benefit that you don't need to be dead to help out

Just go and give blood to register. The chance of being called up is miniscule (the majority of bone marrow transplants are between siblings) but the more on the registry, the better. Especially if you are a "minority" - it can be much harder to get a match for indigenous, asian, african etc people in Australia.

 

[JessicaTam]

Those two things are very important. The most important being that your family knows of your wishes.
<snip>

Probably one of the most important conversations we could have.

I know what some of my family and friends would like - even down to where they would like to be buried or have their ashes scattered. And they know (and hope they would respect) what I wish.