Thread: Organ donation (NSW)

Hi John

Here in Tasmania it is already possible to have the persons organ donor permission to be shown on the drivers licence.

I personally wouldn't mind, if they ( the medical bods ) found any good bits of me to recycle after years of wear and tear.

What has stopped me is, my family won't except the thought, that some of Dad parts could get loose and have another go.

Haven't been able to really view the whole paper (will look at work tomorrow). Organ donation has quite a few hurdles, and the rate of donors in the first place is very low. Unfortunately, of those who do wish to donate, many become ineligible because of various factors:

- Next of kin has the final say. Even if a person wanted their organs donated, others still have to give an ok, which often doesn't occur.
- Time between death and harvest is critical for viability.
- If there are circumstances that require an autopsy to be performed, that's pretty much another donor whose organs won't be used
- Organs themself can be unviable due to disease processes or a lack of adequate blood supply.

Where I worked in a large Perth hospital, as part of brain death studies we generally had to also do organ viability images to asses if adequate blood supply was maintained. With the above factors, donor rates are very low.

I'm on the donation register, and would urge anyone in a position to be on it to also consider it, because many people aren't eligible through no fault of their own.

Its a tough ask as to what can be done to increase donors - education and awareness of the issue is a good start. In WA shortly before I left there were rumblings of a proposal of an opt-out system, rather than opt-in, but that's a whole bigger can or worms of ethical issues.

i've had my licence marked as organ doner since the sceme came in.Dont know that it will do any one any good. Heart is still good according to the


experts but you would probility like to leave the liver & kidneys aloneeyes ears aint too good but what the hell when you are dead if you can healp any one to a better life at no cost to you (youre dead ) i think it should be mandiyory (religeous beliefs allowing) all cadavers should have usable parts removed for further use\ thats the way the world is going (to hell in a hand basket)

An opt out option would be a great start, and a not so easy to do so would also be good.
IMO people should think more about if they were in the receivers position, not the donors. My kids, wife, parents, or even me; if I were in need of an organ to live I think I'd almost sell it all.
My atheist view is religious views and next of kin should not really come into the decision, as Seano87 mentioned, there is enough hurdles just getting the correct organ on time.

one example why; my wife delivers babies and sometimes mothers need blood and lots of it to live survive. Some religions views ( and mostly the husbands rant at the time) don't want the blood, but my good wife has never seen a mother die due to religion, they all crumble (husband and wife) and take the blood. As we all would and do in this country anyway. But organ donation, if you are dead it's easier to keep the faith, you have nothing to live for on earth, your life has no more potential on earth and you have gone elsewhere. The only potential left is what is locked up inside by a rant or religious view at the time. And unfortunately...... no blood for some.

Originally Posted by wrinklearthur

Hi John

Here in Tasmania it is already possible to have the persons organ donor permission to be shown on the drivers licence.

I personally wouldn't mind, if they ( the medical bods ) found any good bits of me to recycle after years of wear and tear.

What has stopped me is, my family won't except the thought, that some of Dad parts could get loose and have another go.

NSW has the same permission shown on your license and has done for over twenty years as I've been listed as a donor since the scheme was brought in.

The problem is, the family has power of veto after death which is unfortunate, so many potential donor organs become wasted as families can't cope with the thought of their loved ones being cut up further and losing bits.

Originally Posted by rick130

NSW has the same permission shown on your license and has done for over twenty years as I've been listed as a donor since the scheme was brought in.

The problem is, the family has power of veto after death which is unfortunate, so many potential donor organs become wasted as families can't cope with the thought of their loved ones being cut up further and losing bits.

This is exactly the problem. The law has for many years (centuries even) put a lot of trouble into making sure that the deceased's wishes regarding their property are carried out. Surely it is about time that we started to do the same with their wishes regarding organ donation?

One of the things that people should realise is that the number of deaths which take place in circumstances where donation is possible is a very small proportion of total deaths (numbers are given in the discussion paper), so it is important not to waste any of these opportunities.

For most deaths, the question will never arise.

John

Both my wife and I and our kids were/are registered. In our son's case, he was found too late after death to be a donor.

Our daughter (nurse/student doctor) would not veto organ donation from either my wife or me.

I've never been happy with the power of veto by families.

The family right of veto is an issue of great importance. At the time of death it is very difficult for the family to come to terms with the loss and to have the doctor asking to salvage organs makes them seem like vultures.

If you wish to donate organs and go so far as to register the fact on your licence, go the next step and tell your family how important it is to you that someone else gets the use of organs you no longer need. It will make your family's decision at the time of grief that much easier.

Diana