Thread: Organ & Blood Donation

I would like to ask the SRP community its thoughts on organ and blood donations. A bit of history first. My father was genetically predisposed and made some unfortunate lifestyle decisions that necessitated him having a heart transplant four years ago this coming April. I am thankful I still can talk to my dad and tell him I love him, and I'm grateful to the man and his family who unselfishly became an organ donor. I had never given organ donation a thought until the day after my father's operation in which I registered to become an organ donor. Here in Arizona, the donor registery allows one to pick and choose which and whether their organs are used for donation and or research. I chose straight donation. After reading this story:

Death of transplant patient reveals that four in ten lungs come from donors who smoke - Telegraph

I cannot decide if I should remove lung donation from my registery as I have a history of smoking. Not as much now, but I do enjoy the occasional cigarette and smoke cigars with my father-in-law periodically. I know smoking has negative effects all of the body's organs, but I am hoping through positive lifestyle changes I can somehow mitigate those effects. What I find interesting though, when I registered as a donor, there were no questions regarding lifestyle that I recall.

This leads me to the topic of blood donation. My wife is a blood donor, I would like to be, but the Red Cross deems me as a "deferred donor" because I used to be a military dependent who lived in Germany for 5 years between '76 and '81. From the Red Cross' website:

"You were a member of the of the U.S. military, a civilian military employee, or a dependent of a member of the U.S. military who spent a total time of 6 months on or associated with a military base in any of the following areas during the specified time frames

• From 1980 through 1990 - Belgium, the Netherlands (Holland), or Germany"

This is due to fears of "variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (vCJD) which is also a fatal brain disease. Scientists believe that vCJD is Mad Cow Disease that has somehow transferred to humans, possibly through the food chain."


I bring this up because today on the news there was a report about the hospitals here being dangerously low on blood. My blood type makes me a universal donor. I would love to donate, but I can't.

So, I ask for your thoughts and opinions, if it were you or a loved one, would you be willing to receive an organ or blood donation from someone like me who might have had a checkered past when it comes to smoking or living in Europe during a certain time period if it could save and prolong your's or a loved one's life, if only for alittle while longer? Thank-you for taking the time to read this post.

I am an organ donor and donate blood when I can.

Being O-, I find myself donating blood often. I'm also a designated organ donor by way of my DL.

i am a organ donor ( when im gone i dont need them anymore so let them be my last shot at helping save a life,) and ive donated blood once, i do it when theres a blood drive in the area.

I'm another who is unable to donate blood simply because I lived in the UK during a certain period in the 90s when CJD was doing its thing. It's a little frustrating as I'd like to, but since no one seems to know how the heck prions work, I guess it's best if I don't lie and donate. However as for my organs, when I'm done with them, anyone who can make use of them is welcome to them.

Anyone else have Monty Python's 'The Universe Song' in their head while reading this thread?

Originally Posted by Cangooner

I'm another who is unable to donate blood simply because I lived in the UK during a certain period in the 90s when CJD was doing its thing. It's a little frustrating as I'd like to, but since no one seems to know how the heck prions work, I guess it's best if I don't lie and donate. However as for my organs, when I'm done with them, anyone who can make use of them is welcome to them.

Anyone else have Monty Python's 'The Universe Song' in their head while reading this thread?

I was an organ donor and blood donor whilst I was living in the UK, and I plan to continue this. I didn't get asked if I wanted to be a Donor when I got my driving license, or I would be registered now.
I know I could not donate blood for a couple of years due to a tattoo. So I will continue when I am allowed
I think donations are essential to modern medicine, I can't wait until we can grow organs!!!

My guess is that some kind of examination will be made before the organ is used.

As for blood donations, I donate blood at the local blood services periodically. Regardless of how many times I show up there they ask a lot of probing questions pertaining to lifestyle and any medications taken before accepting.

In Sweden we have an organ donor registry, I'm in it.
Blood I've never got around to donate, to much hassle, have donated "in the field" to friends thou.
In our organ donor registry you're free to set up almost any conditions for donating as you like,
you can choose only medical, medical and research, if you want to keep your heart and so on.
I'm donating everything, when I'm gone, I'm gone and the may dispose of me as they like!

Blood donor now for over 20 years. 85th unit last donation.
New Zealand also has exceptions for those who lived in "at risk" areas for Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease during specific time frames.

Sadly we do not have a formal organ donor register - wishes can be indicated on a driver's licence but this can be easily over-ridden by any family members. Not a major concernt o me as my wife and I have both discussed our wishes.

For those than can donate and just haven't got around to it PLEASE DO.
Donors Save Lives!
Like Rearden said - that life could be someone close to you.

I am organ donor by default (I have not indicated otherwise) and my wife knows that they can take from me whatever I don't need anymore I also donate blood the maximum number of times per year. So does my wife.

Now, while your lungs might not be as good as mine (hpothetically speaking), the odds of a translationation match are so low, that anyone getting yours would not be getting any at all, if it were not for yours. The ones needing a transplant are likely to die in the near future without a transplant. So with your lungs they might get only 15 years instead of 20 (or whatever the numbers are) but that is still better than the 1 year they would have without your lungs.