Refused kidney donation(giving, not taking)

theTinker · 01-06-2007 12:57PM #1

I decided after a few weeks of thinking. That I would like to donate a Kidney to a person that needs it.
I was unsure for a while but after an announcement that a co-workers wife has finally recieved a kidney transplant and it's really helped. I completely knew its something i want to do. After more researching i still wanted to do it.

I looked all over the web (Its where i get all my information from) and i could not find any contact numbers etc. I managed to get one from a website for the Beaumount hospital. 8093000 btw. I rang a few times and received an answer on my fourth or so call. I was put through to the renal unit i believe where i told them i would like to donate a kidney. She said that's great, asked my name, and who i would like to donate to. I said that i didnt have a specific canidate in mind. Then I was told that they don't do non related kidney donations in ireland. I was a little shocked and told her i did not know that. I was informed that i could carry a donor card around "incase". I don't want to die, ironically i guess this could be a life goal

.
I've just gotten off the phone with the hospital, I find this really crazy that i can not give something i have 2 of when so many people need one.
Was i being brushed off? Does anyone else find it a little odd that they don't take non related donors?
Im 22, male, dont smoke, dont drink, reasonable fit, clean blood and STD free(According to last test). I figured i would be a fairly fine canidate to at least be tested as a match and stuff.

What do you think about being refused?

Corruptedmorals · 01-06-2007 01:11PM

Well in a lot of cases, the donor has to be related to the recipient. There's a high chance of the body rejecting a kidney from a donor that isn't related, and this chance is higher with the severity of the cancer/kidney disease. They don't have to match ALL the antigens for a kidney transplant though.

5starpool · 01-06-2007 01:17PM

Maybe someday you will realise your dream and wake up in a bathtub full of ice in Prague or Budapest.

super_furry · 01-06-2007 01:25PM

5starpool wrote:

Maybe someday you will realise your dream and wake up in a bathtub full of ice in Prague or Budapest.

10/10 TOP BOARDSIE! Would read again! A++++++++++++++++++

PinkPrincess26 · 01-06-2007 02:13PM

theTinker wrote:

I decided after a few weeks of thinking. That I would like to donate a Kidney to a person that needs it.
I was unsure for a while but after an announcement that a co-workers wife has finally recieved a kidney transplant and it's really helped. I completely knew its something i want to do. After more researching i still wanted to do it.

I looked all over the web (Its where i get all my information from) and i could not find any contact numbers etc. I managed to get one from a website for the Beaumount hospital. 8093000 btw. I rang a few times and received an answer on my fourth or so call. I was put through to the renal unit i believe where i told them i would like to donate a kidney. She said that's great, asked my name, and who i would like to donate to. I said that i didnt have a specific canidate in mind. Then I was told that they don't do non related kidney donations in ireland. I was a little shocked and told her i did not know that. I was informed that i could carry a donor card around "incase". I don't want to die, ironically i guess this could be a life goal .
I've just gotten off the phone with the hospital, I find this really crazy that i can not give something i have 2 of when so many people need one.
Was i being brushed off? Does anyone else find it a little odd that they don't take non related donors?
Im 22, male, dont smoke, dont drink, reasonable fit, clean blood and STD free(According to last test). I figured i would be a fairly fine canidate to at least be tested as a match and stuff.

What do you think about being refused?

I think that this is an amazing thing for anybody to offer..... But yes in Ireland, its not done unless a relative requires a kidney.....

You really need to be a hundred % sure though. Im just guessing you dont have children.... what in a few years when you do and your child needed the op and you've already given your kidny away.....

More people like yourself needed in the world though

Kojak · 01-06-2007 02:36PM

5starpool wrote:

Maybe someday you will realise your dream and wake up in a bathtub full of ice in Prague or Budapest.

theTinker · 01-06-2007 03:02PM

5starpool wrote:

Maybe someday you will realise your dream and wake up in a bathtub full of ice in Prague or Budapest.

The lads said the same thing earlier at breakfast.

Nope no children at the mo. I dont know if i want one. That and whether my siblings/mother would need one are the only concerns i have to be honest. But considering someone else needs one right now, i figure its acceptable risk.

digitally-yours · 01-06-2007 03:58PM

I respect you for your thinking man
You have good head on ur shoulders.

this world needs more like you.

Atleast you tried. i definately feel better after reading what u wrote.

There sre still people who have a heart !

Dirty Knuckles · 01-06-2007 04:01PM

Unrelated live donation is not done in Ireland.

theTinker · 01-06-2007 04:05PM

Dirty Knuckles wrote:

Unrelated live donation is not done in Ireland.

no way!

digitally-yours wrote:

There are still people who have a heart !

yes, and now we all know that nobody un-related can take them as a spare

sidneykidney · 01-06-2007 04:06PM

Sure a living related programme is only going since the start of this year,talk about bloody slow....

aidan_walsh · 01-06-2007 04:07PM

1) Phone Joe Duffy
2) Move to Holland
3) Remove kidney anyway, make pie.

theTinker · 01-06-2007 04:08PM

sidneykidney wrote:

Sure a living related programme is only going since the start of this year,talk about bloody slow....

I had no idea we were so behind. Thats fairly terrible in my opinion. I've read in the US that non related can do it. Maybe i need to do it a warm country like florida

Yes ill stay far longer than needed and eat lots of sweet florida oranges by the pool telling beautiful ladies of my heroic struggle to save a <insert gender(receiptant)>'s life but it will be worth it

AlmightyCushion · 01-06-2007 04:12PM

Sell it on the black market and make yourself a rake of money

Dirty Knuckles · 01-06-2007 04:25PM

theTinker wrote:

no way!

yes, and now we all know that nobody un-related can take them as a spare

Don't try make out your smart.

Live donation is practiced in the UK with proposals to practice here in Ireland. At the moment we don't have the facilities to test unrelated donor's.

WindSock · 01-06-2007 04:28PM

It is great that you weant to donate your kidney but have you really thought it through? Have you read up on the possible side effects and everything that may come with removing one of your organs in your prime of life? You are only 22, and while you may have perfectly healthy organs, think about the life ahead that you may want to experience. You say that you don't want kids now, but do you think you will have the same opinion in 10 years time? As Homer once said: 'You have shortened your life considerably to give a brief extension on another.'
If you have seriously thought it through then Best of Luck to You, but remember, you can always donate your blood/platelets if you feel iffy about letting go of a Kidney. There are heaps more people out there that need blood.

cooperguy · 01-06-2007 05:42PM

I might be wrong but doesnt removing a kidney significantly reduce your life expectancy?

mikemac · 01-06-2007 07:48PM

OP, are you anything to do with person on the front page of the Star?
Same situation as you

Evolity · 01-06-2007 07:53PM

Yup, CooperGuy, I believe you may be correct about that.

The Tinker, how about donating blood instead? You will actually have the opportunity to save more lives through this type of donation. (I do not mean to belittle Kidney Donors - but if a person is in a mind to give, there are always options!)

Sangre · 01-06-2007 07:57PM

I doubt many doctors like performing completely unneccesary, serious surgeries on patients that can reduce their quality of life.

This isn't like giving blood. They're removing an organ.

snappieT · 01-06-2007 08:02PM

Give to endemol, rule the world...

But really, blood or plasma would also be great. Go to a hairdressers, the hair may be used for a wig for a cancer patient. There are so many ways to help.

WindSock · 01-06-2007 08:04PM

snappieT wrote:

Give to endemol, rule the world...

But really, blood or plasma would also be great.

Plasma! thats what I meant. Not platelets. oops. but in a way, platelets too...

monkeyfudge · 01-06-2007 08:11PM

If you go down the road of unrelated organ donations then you can find yourself in a situation where wealthy people can pay large sums of money to get people to donate organs to them. It all becomes a bit ethically iffy then.

I've got 3 kidneys myself, and I'm keeping them thank you.

Oh.. and bone marrow is another good one that you can donate in Ireland if you're willing to go through it.

snappieT · 01-06-2007 08:18PM

monkeyfudge wrote:

Oh.. and bone marrow is another good one that you can donate in Ireland if you're willing to go through it.

Bone marrow is very picky AFAIK. Difficult to get a match.
At least thats what Gregory House MD has thought me...

January · 01-06-2007 10:28PM

I think they should do it, if people are well informed, know all the risks and still want to do it, then why not.

Blood donation is sooo good, there are not enough donors, so Ireland could always use one more! I'm a blood donor and I'm on the bone marrow register also. Heard that drawing the bone marrow from the hip is painful though!

monkeyfudge · 01-06-2007 10:34PM

adrieanne__x wrote:

Blood donation is sooo good, there are not enough donors, so Ireland could always use one more! I'm a blood donor and I'm on the bone marrow register also. Heard that drawing the bone marrow from the hip is painful though!

Yep... I think they have to do over a 100 injections deep into the bone to get enough material out.

Ha.. but don't let me put you off.... it takes guts to go on that register.

theTinker · 01-06-2007 10:41PM

Ye i give blood every 90 days without a miss. I can't give platelets. I'm a lil under weight and you have to be 9.5 stones! Well thats what it was the last time i tried and thats what the nurse told me before weighing me.

I've read what i can on the internet. Difficult to find unbiast information, and difficult to find info which has new points, its a little tiring reading through 100 websites each same the same thing obviously copied from one source. I hate that. Game review websites do it too. I know it would affect my 'quality' of life but i havent anything to say it will drastically shorten my life. Like obvious exceptions to myself having future kidney problems or getting smashed by car and needing one. The children and family needing it are my only main concerns, but the risk is so low that it seems ...needless to let another person die just incase.
I always imagine/hear people saying stuff like "If i had a second heart, i'd give him/her it in blink of an eye"....ye congrats, ya have a second kidney but never give it! :P

Im un-related to the Star person. I'll do a search to read that story now though

.
I hate reading news papers, nothing but bad news. Puts me in a foul mood.

I'll keep reading up about it obviously, i was hoping to get some hard concrete facts from the nurse/hospital about it, let me ask questions etc.
I suppose i could look into doing it abroad...such a pain. I was hoping to do it in ireland so im closer to everything im used to/need.

edit: To be honest, i find it hard to digest that giving blood isn't mandatory yet or encouraged with tax credits or something. Such a waste to not give it. Besides, theres always nice chicks and free food at it

January · 01-06-2007 11:06PM

Do they do that tax credit thing in other countries? I don't think it should need to be encouraged... yep the free food is always nice, have yet to find a cute bloke there though!

wyndham · 02-06-2007 02:29AM

Offer €5000, can collect this evening.

dragonkin · 02-06-2007 03:01AM

Just on a side note I've always wondered why you have to fill in a donation card to give organs, shouldn't it be the other way around?
ie Fill in a card if you don't want to donate organs, that way there would always be a good supply...

theTinker · 02-06-2007 09:56AM

hehe, i proposed a business solution the other day on that logic.
"Put everyone on the email list in one month who doesn't reply with the form saying they want it on paper instead"....we had a 70% turn over

Refused kidney donation(giving, not taking)

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