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I have to say that I was REALLY impressed with how many people would or have donated organs!! I have two boys who are 7 and 6. My 6 year old is battling Chronic Kidney failure, and has been since birth. I have to be honest and admit that organ donation was not really anything that I thought much about, until my son was born and his doctors told me he would need a kidney transplant. My whole world came crashing down as I struggled with the VERY real possibility that someone would need to LOSE their life in order for my son to LIVE. We are hopeful that we can have a living donor, and I know how "limited" organs for donation really are. I have walked up and down hospital corridors while my son is in the hospital, praying and hoping that when the time comes, the gift of life will happen for my little boy. I encourage EVERYONE out there to donate, but I understand people who don't. It is a very personal decision, and unless you are personally "touched" by having someone you know go through an experience like this, you will never fully know the impact it has.

                                                          Vanessa

Hi everyone! I have to give my 2 cents here. I am a kidney recipent, April 2008, after being on dialysis for 6 months.

To be denied a job would be discrimination, and I don't think I have to tell a new employer about my medical conditions. The insurance company, sure I would. Typically being new to an insurance company with a pre-exisitng condition, you have to wait 6 months before being able to use it, that's here in NH, not sure about other states. That's what I had to do when my insurance changed.

Not everyone will have medical issues after a transplant. When I went to Mass General Hospital in Boston for my evaluation, to see if I was a good candidate, I was told that a live donor would be much better, and that it would last longer than a cadaver. The numbers given to me was something like a live donor can be from 15+ years, and a cadaver roughly 10 - 12 years. Again it all depends on if there are any other medical conditions, and how well you take care of yourself. It also depends on how well your body takes to the new organ. Your body can reject it at any time.

No one can guess how many good years anyone has.

Just a question.. If you're not registered, how will anyone know you want to donate? I don't think a family members word would be good enough.

An organ donor card is signed by the person wanting to donate, and a family memeber that will make sure that the deceased wishes are carried out. I have signed for my sister as no one else in the family would. And that was years ago, before I found out I needed a kidney.

I would like to say thank you to all those who are organ donors. I would just like to ask a question, and please don't take it the wrong way, as it's not meant that way.

If you were to find out that you were a perfect match for someone, whether you knew them or not, would you consider being a "live" donor?