Are you on the bone marrow/organ donation registry?

Xiney

and what are your reasons for being on it/not on it?

I'm on the bone marrow register - the chances are slim I'll ever be picked because it's a pretty specific set of markers they look for, but because I'm not Irish by blood I thought I'd better get on the register because I'm sure I have some markers that the general Irish population don't. It carries some risk if you donate, and it's quite painful... but it's life saving and that's more important, imo.

As far as organ donation goes, I've made my husband aware that should anything happen to me that I want to have my organs given to people who need them (if they're of any use) but I haven't done anything further than that. I'm actually not aware of any formal registry in Ireland.

Edit: I just want to add that if you're not on either register because you don't meet the requirements then you don't have to say what those requirements are if you don't want to, of course!

princess-lala

Im an organ doner - My family know I will give anything that is worth anything except my eyes. I wanna keep those.

Not the bone marrow donation though, how do you register for that? I know it was a long hard search a few years ago when my uncle needed bone marrow.

Xiney

I registered for the bone marrow thingy (forget the actual name) through the Irish Blood Transfusion Service.

Clare Bear

Yes my family know I want to give away all my organs, everything. I'm not on the bone marrow register because to be honest I don't know much about it but I will look in to it.

Piste

There isn't an actual organ donation registry here in Ireland, there are organ donor cards, but really your organs can only be donated if your next of kin consents, so they can override the card, which is a pity I think.

I considered the bone marrow registry, but it's a pretty big decision to make, it is basically an operation with all the risks that go along with it. Lately I've been swinging towards going on the register however.

cruizer101

I'd never heard of Bone marrow donation before, i did a quick google, here is the people responsible. Although there seems to be a bit more info about it here .

Seems you can sign up at same time as donating blood.

According to second link is done under general anesthetic and may cause some discomfort, just wondering when you says is very painful Xiney, do you know people who have done it as it does sound fairy invasive so I would expect more than bit of discomfort.

SarahJ

princess-lala wrote: »

Im an organ doner - My family know I will give anything that is worth anything except my eyes. I wanna keep those.

I was just gona mention that I dont get why people keep their eyes if they are willing to give heart, lungs etc, why are eyes so special to keep?

I have a donor card, they can take anything and everything if it means saving a life / giving people a new lease of life.
Someone said to me once 'Oh I won't give my eyes because I want to be able to find my way to Heaven'. Don't want to offend any but....please.

Jessibelle

SarahJ wrote: »

I was just gona mention that I dont get why people keep their eyes if they are willing to give heart, lungs etc, why are eyes so special to keep?

Because some people feel internal organs are just organs/muscles etc but eyes are a more personable identifiable thing maybe??
I'm not allowed donate, cause of medication I take, if I did give blood it would be exceptionally dangerous for any organ donor recipient to be given my blood, even after treatment seemingly. I carry a card and a medi-proviso statement outlining details of the medication but am not sure they'd be viable for someone else after my death. I'd also give everything except my eyes, but thats mainly cause my eyesight is so messed up I wouldn't will that on anyone:o

Carsinian Thau

I am an organ donor so I can donate anything bar my pancreas (it doesn't work properly). Of course, seeing as they can't use my blood, they mightn't be able to use my organs, but I'd like to at least give them the option.

I'm not on the bone marrow register but that's because I'm reasonable certain that they couldn't use it anyway. Also, I do have some back problems so that precludes me based on their own requirements.

Xiney

cruizer101 wrote: »

just wondering when you says is very painful Xiney, do you know people who have done it as it does sound fairy invasive so I would expect more than bit of discomfort.

I don't know anyone who's ever given bone marrow, but I know they take it out of your hip bone and I know that's gotta hurt!

Still, if it saves someone from dying from cancer, it's worth it - the pain will go away.

rainbow kirby

Um... when this was on my subscribed forums list as the most recent post in tLL, the thread title shows up as "Are you on the bone..." :pac:

In answer to the question - I've got an organ donor card, but am not on the bone marrow registry. I probably should put my name onto it though.

Faith

WRT eye donation, they only take the corneas, right? It's not like Minority Report where you whole eyeball is donated.

I'd like to donate my organs, but I've never given any thought to marrow donation tbh.

SarahJ

Faith wrote: »

WRT eye donation, they only take the corneas, right? It's not like Minority Report where you whole eyeball is donated.

I'd like to donate my organs, but I've never given any thought to marrow donation tbh.

That's what I heard, its only a certain bit of your eye they take, not the hole ball. Not like we'd have much use for them when we're gone

ztoical

Have organ card and next of kin knows to donate whatever is needed...chances are alot of my organs would not be used due to family history etc The % of donated organs they can use is actual very slim but better to have the option. Have put body down to be donated to science when I go. Might as well be of some use training next round of doctors.

Not down for bone marrow cus honestly just not in the country enough right now.

Jessibelle

Faith wrote: »

WRT eye donation, they only take the corneas, right?

Yes. I got to observe this as part of a work experience deal once and it's such a delicate procedure it's amazing! It looks like a wee bit of clear jelly when it's out.:eek:

jokettle

My organ donor card snapped in 2 the other week, I'm finding it really difficult to find a replacement! Don't they usually have them in pharmacies?

I've told my parents, boyfriend and friends that I want to be a donor, but my mum is quite squeamish and if anything did happen to me I honestly don't knkow if she'd be able to give her consent. She'd want to respect my wishes but I just don't know if she could bring herself to do that...

CathyMoran

Not on either - am a cancer survivor, also a type 1 diabetic so I do not fill the criteria.

Miss Lockhart

I have an organ donor card and have told my family I will come back to haunt them if they overrule my wishes.

I am not eligible to donate blood due to medication so I'm not sure about bone marrow.

My cousin donated bone marrow and she seemed to be in a lot of pain after, but did not regret it and recovered very quickly.

WesternNight

Yes to organ donation, no to bone marrow since I wasn't aware there was such a thing. Figured the organ donation one covered everything there was to cover.

I'd be the same about the eyes though...I have no problem with anything else...but for some reason the thought of anyone going anywhere near my eyes freaks me out. I know it won't matter to me at that stage, but it's still something that would make me uncomfortable.

amacachi

jokettle wrote: »

My organ donor card snapped in 2 the other week, I'm finding it really difficult to find a replacement! Don't they usually have them in pharmacies?

I've told my parents, boyfriend and friends that I want to be a donor, but my mum is quite squeamish and if anything did happen to me I honestly don't knkow if she'd be able to give her consent. She'd want to respect my wishes but I just don't know if she could bring herself to do that...

Having the card is pointless, completely down to your next of kin as to whether or not your organs will be taken.

sam34

i want to donate my organs if possible

used donate blood but can no longer do so due to a medical condition, and could not now donate bone marrow for the same reason

Stench Blossoms

I ordered a doner card about a month ago online and part of the form was 'Message'. I wrote don't take my eyes, convinced myself it was going to be on the card. :rolleyes:

I never thought of donating marrow. I was under the assumption that it was only useful to someone with the same genes as you.

I'd defiantly donate it to a family member but considering the pain I'm not sure about donating it to anyone else.

The Big Red Button

I registered for the bone marrow list the first time I gave blood.

Having sat with a close family member when his bone marrow was taken, I'm well aware of how painful the procedure is, and I have to admit that the wimp in me sort of hopes I'll never be called to donate.

However, I also sat with the same family member for several weeks in hospital when, following an intensive bout of chemo to essentially kill off his immune system, that same bone marrow (except all new and improved thanks to the magic of medicine!) was put back into him. What he went through then was much, much more prolonged and a million times more painful than the bone marrow donation, and it took him much longer to recover from it.

He was given a five year prognosis when he was diagnosed with almost-always terminal cancer eight years ago; he's not only still alive, he has a fantastic quality of life - now, you'd never know there was anything wrong with him. If I was offered the chance to do that for someone else out there, I don't see how I could refuse.

SuperSean11

princess-lala wrote: »

Im an organ doner - My family know I will give anything that is worth anything except my eyes. I wanna keep those.

Can I ask why you wouldn't donate your eyes? A lot of people I've talked to about organ donation have said they'd want to keep there eyes

princess-lala

SuperSean11 wrote: »

Can I ask why you wouldn't donate your eyes? A lot of people I've talked to about organ donation have said they'd want to keep there eyes

Ive always had a thing about my eyes! And if such a place as heaven does exist I want my eyes to see!

You may find it funny but its my wish, Ive always told my parents this.

Daisies

I've said to my parents I want to be an organ donor since my cousin died at 19 (I was 16) because my Nan said something that stuck a chord with me. She said "Parts of Michael are still living and he has saved 5 families from going through what we are now. Whoever got his heart, gone one big one."

I had always been a bit squeamish about donating my corneas (the clear part is what is donated not the whole eye), but after seeing the difference it made to a guy with keratoconous 2 years below me in college has made me rethink it.

Not on the bone marrow list but will look into. However considering I always feel faint after I give blood I can't imagine they'd want me

shinikins

amacachi wrote: »

Having the card is pointless, completely down to your next of kin as to whether or not your organs will be taken.

Piste wrote: »

There isn't an actual organ donation registry here in Ireland, there are organ donor cards, but really your organs can only be donated if your next of kin consents, so they can override the card, which is a pity I think.

I was reading this thread with interest as member of my family is very ill at the moment and may need a marrow transplant, when i came across the above quotes. In Ireland there is no law governing organ donation, and if a hospital needs to harvest organs they can do so without consent. After a person passes away, their body does not belong to the family, but to the Irish Government. The general public have not been made aware of this fact, and indeed i would never have known until the Organ Retention Scandal first hit. the only reason stopping hospitals from harvesting organs nowadays willynilly is a sense of modern morality, and perhaps a fear of being sued!

I'm all for organ donation, and have always told my family that i would like everything given that can be. If any of my organs can help prolong or perhaps save a life when i'm gone, then i view it as a great thing! After all when i pass, all thats left is a shell, and i want to be cremated, so keeping my body intact isn't really an issue!

solymar

I have a donor card and will give everything. My mother got a bit upset that I wanted to donate my eyes, but I'm pretty sure some other mother is upset that their child is blind, so it's an easy decision.

I'm on the bone marrow/blood/platelets donor register, but have to wait til August to get my tests cos I was in a malaria area in past 12 months. I don't know anyone who has ever donated/needed bone marrow, but I hear its painful. Still, I figure it will prepare me for child birth!! I'm mixed race, and want to contribute because if you're mixed race the chance of finding a match bone marrow donor decrease quite alot, so they can use all they can get.

entropi

I always carry my organ donor card in my wallet, my family know that I would donate everything but my eyes too (I believe the eyes are the window to the soul, so to preserve it I'd rather keep the eyes:))

I never heard about the bone marrow donations being done strangely enough! Also wanna donate blood soon, as I have future plans to get a tattoo.

chocgirl

I carry an organ donor card, always have since I was really young.

I'm not eligible for bone marrow donation at the minute but from personal experience the pain involved is greatly greatly exaggerated.

Posy

I donate blood every so often (not as often as I should!) and I have an organ donor card and have told my family I want to donate my organs. I could not donate my corneas because I had laser eye surgery but everything else is a free for all if they want it!
I'm not on the bone marrow registry, I'll ask about it the next time I give blood. How do you register for it through the IBTS? Does it take long; can you do it the same day as you give blood?