Friday 8 April 2011

Donating Your Organs and Myths!

Firstly I want to say I have been asked today by one of my lovely friends how she can get information about donating her organs. Which I am sososo pleased about because I wanted my blog to help raise awareness for CF, organ donation and to try and get as many people as possible to actually sign the donor register!

I have added a link at the side of my blog -->
where you can click to sign the register, but it's on the website so if you need any information just have a look around the site and if you decide donating your organs is something you want to do, then go back to the form. It literally takes a minute to sign up but it could end up being one of the most important minutes, because YOU could save lives.
One of the most important things you must do, is tell your family/friends your wishes to donate because if you did pass away, your family would be asked if you want your organs donated, if they were not aware that it was something you wished to do they could be faced with a tough decision. So please make sure if you do want to be a donor, the important people know that it's something you want :)!


There are a few myths and general assumptions about donating which I will hopefully, try, to clear up.

A lot of people think they cannot donate their organs.
False - I can confirm this because I am an organ donor, it would be completely selfish of me to want other people to give their organs, when I myself wouldn't.
I have diabetes so can't donate my pancreas, liver disease which rules out my liver and obviously I can't donate my lungs - but I have a perfectly working heart, my kidneys haven't been affected so they too could be donated, along with tissue and my small bowel.
There is nothing stopping almost anybody donating their organs.

Another myth that people think is true, is that if you are a registered donor you will not be saved by doctors should you get near to death. This is absolutely false and complete rubbish, doctors will do absolutely everything they can to save a life before thinking about if they were donors or not, they would rather save somebodys life than have a death on their conscience. Obviously if there is absolutely nothing they can do to save them, despite their best efforts, then they would find out if that person had wanted their organs donated.

Another one is that people are afraid they won't actually be dead when they donate their organs. Again, false! They actually carry out MORE tests to determine death, than they would on someone not wanting to donate, so you never know if you donate and you aren't actually dead, in thinking about others it could help you to be saved!

Finally, people believe it is against religion and although people are entitled to their own beliefs and I have to respect what those people choose to believe. But organ donation is supported by Christianity, Catholicism, Islam and most branches of Judaism. In fact I have found some quotes on http://www.uktransplant.org.uk/ to back this up:



"Heal the sick…freely ye have received, freely give."
Matthew chapter 10:8
"In eternity we will neither have nor need our earthly bodies: former things will pass away, all things will be made new."
Revelation chapter 21: 4,5

And a quote from one of the Popes (apologies, I am not religious) and the Archbishop of York.

"I hope that Christian people will seriously and positively consider organ donation. The ready willingness to donate an organ is a clear sign of that sacrificial self-giving for others patterned by Jesus Christ."
David Ebor, Archbishop of York
"Every organ transplant has its source in a decision of great ethical value… Here lies the nobility of a gesture which is a genuine act of love. There is a need to instil in people's hearts a genuine and deep love that can find expression in the decision to become an organ donor."
His Holiness Pope John Paul II

&To end on a more funny note.. I was saying to my Mum yesterday, I reckon if you turn up at the 'pearly gates' and you still have all your organs intact inside your body, you will be refused entry - God doesn't want any selfish people up there! Hahaaa ;)!

So please, think about it, talk about it and most importantly DO something about it.
Sign the register, you could give the gift of life, which is the greatest gift of all.

Thanks for reading.
x

2 comments:

Little Harriet said...

A really interesting post. I have never thought about how the religious view oragn donation so it was interesting to read the quotes.
x

Molly said...

Very well written Kerry :)

Moll x x