Organ Donation

against my religion... you know when i am reincarnated i will need my organs.

I give blood, I'm on the bone marrow donor list & I've registered as an organ donor as well as stressing to my wife that 'they' can have any parts needed as the rest will be burnt.

I certainly will not need my body parts after I croak it. If I can help a father by him receiving my heart and lungs so he might live long enough to be there for his son or daughter on their wedding day, or a maybe a mother might have my eyes so she can see her newborns smile for the very first time, or maybe my a hand to a soldier who has lost theirs while clearing mines... the list goes on.
Life is precious, if I can afford someone an improvement in their quality of life after I'm gone or perhaps even a little more time on this earth, surely can only be a good thing.

On the opt out issue, at least there wouldn't be those who 'thought about donating' and those who might have lived a little longer had there been organs available.

I'd also hope those whose beliefs prevent them from donating or receiving organs would not be pressured into acting against those beliefs under an opt out scheme. Although I believe organ donation is a good thing, I also respect that others may not feel the same and I would hope they would not see such a scheme as a threat to their faith.

Originally Posted by daddyjob

it should be an 'opt in' NOT an 'opt out'

I'm not going to jump on it and say it's wrong, but I would like to ask why?

I'd say religious reasons are part of what makes me happy to opt in. I believe the body and the soul are two separate things, and the body is just the vehicle that carries me through this life.

Like a car that has failed it's MOT for the last time, send it to the scrapyard, the driver has moved on and no longer wants it.

There is a lot of religious opposition to cremation, likening flames to hell, or requiring the body for resurrection or re-incarnation, but I really don't like the idea of my body rotting underground. Take what you need and dispose of the rest quickly and cleanly.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

I'm not going to jump on it and say it's wrong, but I would like to ask why?

I'd say religious reasons are part of what makes me happy to opt in. I believe the body and the soul are two separate things, and the body is just the vehicle that carries me through this life.

Like a car that has failed it's MOT for the last time, send it to the scrapyard, the driver has moved on and no longer wants it.

There is a lot of religious opposition to cremation, likening flames to hell, or requiring the body for resurrection or re-incarnation, but I really don't like the idea of my body rotting underground. Take what you need and dispose of the rest quickly and cleanly.

Ralph, speaking as a non-religious person, can I just say that that is the most refreshingly sane response I've seen yet from the religious perspective. And one I agree with wholeheartedly. Once I'm gone, break me for spares and flambé what's left!

It's not very global-warming friendly tho, is it? *

When my father died (no sympathy posts please it was 15 yrs ago) the family was at the bedside. 2-3 minutes after he had passed, my sister was still talking to him. I felt in my heart of hearts that she was wasting her breath. He simply wasn't there anymore, it was just his dead body that was lying on the bed.

[MisterTommyH]

Originally Posted by Fruity-ya-ya

I give blood, I'm on the bone marrow donor list & I've registered as an organ donor as well as stressing to my wife that 'they' can have any parts needed as the rest will be burnt.

I certainly will not need my body parts after I croak it. If I can help a father by him receiving my heart and lungs so he might live long enough to be there for his son or daughter on their wedding day, or a maybe a mother might have my eyes so she can see her newborns smile for the very first time, or maybe my a hand to a soldier who has lost theirs while clearing mines... the list goes on.
Life is precious, if I can afford someone an improvement in their quality of life after I'm gone or perhaps even a little more time on this earth, surely can only be a good thing.

On the opt out issue, at least there wouldn't be those who 'thought about donating' and those who might have lived a little longer had there been organs available.

I'd also hope those whose beliefs prevent them from donating or receiving organs would not be pressured into acting against those beliefs under an opt out scheme. Although I believe organ donation is a good thing, I also respect that others may not feel the same and I would hope they would not see such a scheme as a threat to their faith.

Almost exactly this!

I don't believe that it should be law to opt out rather thank opt in, but it SHOULD be that if you wish to opt in, this isn't worthless if your remaining relatives are still required to give express consent. It's my wishes not theirs. I've made it clear what I want... and I'd hope that would be what happens, but who knows what someone might do/say/change under stress.

[TamSV]

I'm happy with the existing arrangement TBH. I'm happy to donate organs etc but, in the event of my death, my wife or daughters will make the decision regardless of how I may have felt about it. Quite right too - I'll be a husk so my thoughts are history. I want them to do what they need to do.

Exactly the same will apply to all the physical crap I'll have amassed - they'll distribute it/chuck it out as they see fit so I don't see why my body should be any different.

If we're asking ourselves if we want to donate our organs when we die, then we're asking the wrong question IMO. The real question is whether you will agree to donation if it's your partner, parents or kids that are on the slab. That's a different proposition.

If my wife/kids, for some reason, don't want my organs donated I don't want my wishes from beyond the grave to make things any more difficult for them. They'll certainly know how I felt about it (and I hope that makes things easier for them) but the decision will be theirs, not mine. It certainly shouldn't be a Government decision.

Originally Posted by TamSV

I'm happy with the existing arrangement TBH. I'm happy to donate organs etc but, in the event of my death, my wife or daughters will make the decision regardless of how I may have felt about it. Quite right too - I'll be a husk so my thoughts are history. I want them to do what they need to do.

Exactly the same will apply to all the physical crap I'll have amassed - they'll distribute it/chuck it out as they see fit so I don't see why my body should be any different.

If we're asking ourselves if we want to donate our organs when we die, then we're asking the wrong question IMO. The real question is whether you will agree to donation if it's your partner, parents or kids that are on the slab. That's a different proposition.

If my wife/kids, for some reason, don't want my organs donated I don't want my wishes from beyond the grave to make things any more difficult for them. They'll certainly know how I felt about it (and I hope that makes things easier for them) but the decision will be theirs, not mine. It certainly shouldn't be a Government decision.

Hmmm, very good post, especially

"The real question is whether you will agree to donation if it's your partner, parents or kids that are on the slab. That's a different proposition."

I've thought about it and yes, I would agree to my son being dissected. It's a difficult thought to face, but once he's dead he's not in that body anymore, so why should I object to another child benefiting?

Not sure my Catholic wife would agree though, and I wouldn't be prepared to upset her over it in those circumstances, so unless she had died too, the organs probably wouldn't end up being donated.

[Littlepeahead]

I've never understood people who say no to donation because they don't want bits cut up. If you have a post mortem then they chop everything out, weigh it, sling it back in and stitch you up again anyway.

Since cars have become safer with airbags and compulsory seat belts fewer people are being fatally injured in road accidents so it's even more important for us to sign up to the register and ensure our next of kin know our wishes.

I'm sure if our families know we feel strongly that we want to help someone after our death this will make that very difficult decision easier for them.