Comments on: April's 'Mini Monthly Mission'

By: kelly alice.

kelly alice. — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:03:16 +0000

thank you for posting this! i was a registered donor already, but i didn’t realize it was this easy. i posted it on my FB with great responses.

By: Tenise Rae

Tenise Rae — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 05:01:41 +0000

Thanks! I wasn’t really intending on writing that much. I just wanted to make a small little point but it turned into a freaking novel. I guess I was just venting. Heheh. Thanks for readin’.

By: Sayward

Sayward — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:38:45 +0000

Thank you all so much! This is such an important gesture and I’m so thrilled that so many of you are willing to commit to it. You guys rock!

For those who filled out the form at the DMV and have the sticker on their license, I urge you to still go through the online registry and ensure that your name is in the database. I had done the DMV/sticker route but my information was not online. Plus, stickers come off! Better safe than sorry.

And thanks to those who suggested bone marrow and platelet donation. And hair donation! (which I’ve done) And don’t forget blood donation, which is always necessary. I’m going to look into the first two some more, as I’m not too familiar with them.

@ Tenise Rae- What a sad story, I’m so sorry your family had to go through that. But thank you for sharing your story with us. And, like Jen’s, there is a bittersweet ending to the tragedy. At least now you can help educate people with your powerful personal experience.

Thanks so much everyone! BONZAI!

By: Courtney

Courtney — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:33:37 +0000

That is wonderful! Thankfully in Ohio it’s as simple as adding it when you get your license. So I’ve been once since I got my permit at 15 and 1/2.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:44:54 +0000

What better memorial is there for a loved one than to have them help others even after death? I’ve been a donor since I learned to drive.

By: Shelby

Shelby — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:57:18 +0000

I made sure to tell my family about my decision to be a donor because a donor rep. told me that it’s ultimately up to your family even if you’ve signed up to donate. Being vegan increases our donateable parts, don’t you think? I think processing fast food meats takes a big toll on the organs. I don’t have any facts about it, so maybe it’s just a nice, wishful thought.

By: Jen (and Ken)

Jen (and Ken) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 12:51:12 +0000

Hey everyone, thank you so much for all the great giving ideas… I have become really interested in living donation lately as well. It’s incredible what we each have in us to give, isn’t it? And we don’t have to have money to do it!

Hooray to Sayward, and to all the people here who have registered!! And for all of you who help get this very important message out.

Jen and Ken (and Simon)

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 06:25:56 +0000

Or maybe at this point, I want to third it.:)

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 06:24:44 +0000

I’m a donor too. I’m amazed that Jen and Ken can turn this into something positive; that’s wonderful beyond words. Kudos to them for continuing the mission and honoring Alex’s wishes.

I’d also like to second becoming a bone marrow donor. I’m on the registry and I signed up a few years ago when my uncle died of leukemia. The more people who sign up, the more likely it is that any given person who has leukemia can find a match.

By: Tenise Rae

Tenise Rae — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:45:49 +0000

Such a cool monthly mission Sayward! I was already a donor but I did post the site to my facebook. It was interesting to see some of the responses. Some people were already donors but most people seemed to make fun saying, “Oh I don’t think they want *my* liver.” or “My lungs are too charred to be a donor.” I mean, really? Come on people! First of all, I don’t think this is a subject to be taken lightly. So making fun of it irritates me. Second of all, there’s more to the human body than those *damaged* organs. Third, let me tell you a little story: I had a close friend. Her family and my family are basically attached at the hip. So she was basically like a sister to me. In the last 10 years she started going downhill, and fast. Tons of smoking, drinking and numerous other drugs. Prostitution somehow came into the mix. It was hard on both of our families to watch her do this to herself. Unfortunately, our worst fears came true when she got drunk at noon one day and decided to go get more booze. She didn’t put on her seatbelt and hit another car head on. The other driver was fine but she, of course, was not. She lived for a few days after that but her brain was just too damaged. The only positive thing that came out of this whole ordeal was that she donated all of her organs saving lives and enhancing others. The cool part….her lungs were smokers lungs, her liver was almost to the point of cirrhosis, and her eye balls were cut up from the accident, but they took them anyway! The hospital took them ALL and transplanted them into people that needed help. So it doesn’t matter if you think your lungs or liver are damaged. They just might take them anyway.
Why don’t we just leave that decision up to them? Thanks!

P.S. My friend’s family got a letter a year later telling them where all their daughter’s organs went. Her lungs went to a man who had lung cancer. Her heart went to a 14 year old girl with a bad heart. Her eyes went to a blind woman who can now SEE!!! Her liver went to a young man that was in a car accident and had his liver damaged. There’s a couple more stories too. Unfortunately I don’t remember where the pancreas and kidneys went. You get the picture though.

Recycling is my middle name…..please sign up and recycle yourself. Hee hee.