Would You Sell Your Kidney For $3600?
09 Apr 2013 26 Comments
in Caring Compassion, Healthy Habits Tags: are you an organ doner, being paid to donate your kidney, dialysis, donating a kidney, Organ donation, renal failure
The front page of the Sunday Mail asked the question ‘Would You Sell Your Kidney?’ and I expected it to be a story about black market organ sales…..oh but I was so wrong!
The Australian government is going to pay living organ doners a 6 seek wage, up to $3600.00 in an attempt to reduce the waiting list for people who are in desperate need for a healthy kidney.
Dialysis keeps people alive, but it is not a fun way to live. Hours are spent in hospital hooked up to a machine that does the job your kidneys are designed to do. Unfortunately it is not the perfect solution. It gives many a chance to considerably extend their life, but eventually most succumb to renal failure. I have had a someone close to me go through this. He never got the ‘call’, and he died way to young.
To be eligible for this payment, you must be alive and employed as the payment will be distributed by your employer. Are the unemployed peoples kidney’s not good enough? This payment is also available to those who would give part of their liver.
The selling and buying of organs is illegal in this country, and so it should be, desperate people will go to any lengths to relieve their suffering, but is this a practical way to find organ doners?
This is major surgery, will high risks. Is $3600.00 enough to take such a risk? Would you do it?
Giving the gift of life to another through organ donation is the ultimate gift, and family members who donate for one of their own, make that gift with love, and admire their strength.
Our family have all agreed, that when it is time, they can have any part of us that could be of assistance to another.
Surely there must be other steps we can take to increase the organ donation rate in this country.
At the moment, if you want to be an organ doner, you have to elect to be one. Why not turn that around, and make it that everyone is an organ doner, and if for religious reasons, moral ethics or simply personal choice, you can nominate to NOT be a doner, but you then have to make the effort to not be one, instead of the other way around.
This is one conversation that every family should have, so that the exact wishes of every person is well known. The pressure put on surviving family members at the unfortunate time of someone’s passing, to make the decision either way, is a tough one. Many valuable organs never have the chance to help another, because the family can’t say YES.
Does your family know what your desires are when it comes to organ donation?
Sharing today for #FYBF at With Some Grace
Donate Life Week And One Conversation You Need To Have!
27 Feb 2013 2 Comments
in Caring Compassion, Healthy Habits, JoyFULL Tags: donate life week, make your organ donation thoughts known, Organ donation, organ transplants can save lives, sharing the gift of life
Organ donation is not compulsory in Australia, but I really wish it was!
So many families are faced with the tough decision on whether to say yes or no to organ donation, at a time when they are deeply drenched in the saddness of the loss of a loved one. If you have not clearly stated your wishes, your family have to make the call.
Make time this week to have a family discussion about what you would like!
This is not a fun discussion, but such an important one. When you pass away, you have the chance to give a gift to humanity that could prove to be the greatest gift possible…….the chance of life for someone who is losing their battle.
The waitlist for organ transplant in this country is incredibly high, the wait for a suitable doner can be a slow process, and every day increases the risk that they will not survive. If it was your child or family member that was on that list, you would be hoping and preying for a life saving miracle, even though another human has to lose their life.
As far as I am concerned, if you are dead, you don’t need your body parts. They are going into the ground or turned into ash, seems like such a waste if you could help someone else:-
* Allow a child to reach their teens
* Share the joys of graduating from High School
* Getting married
* Bringing another little person into this world
* The bliss of watching a sunrise
* Travelling the world
* Swimming in the ocean
*Kissing a loved one………..the list is endless!
Find time this week to sit the family down and get clear about what you all want. This is not a fun conversation, but worth your time. Either way your nearest and dearest will know exactly what to do, if they are ever placed in the situation of having to make such a tough decision, when grief clouds their judgement.
We have had this talk, we all agree, organ donation is a beautiful gift, that we are all happy to make when the time comes!
Are you for or against organ donation, or have you no idea?
Stay In Touch!