General Category > Members Health & Wellbeing

Organ Donation

(1/2) > >>

Shillas:
This is a topic very close to me.

On Sunday, 23 June at 8.30 am I had the privilege to watch my nephew being wheeled down the corridor from the ICU to the operating theatres at ST Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne.

This was his last journey after a 5 year battle with a brain tumour. He had been declared brain dead on Saturday evening at 5.00pm, just 30 minutes before Sandra and myself arrived from the airport to say goodbye. As part of a new initiative he led, he was kept alive from palliative care to operating suite. This meant he was kept ventilated and able to donate his organs to those that needed them. Apparently this has never been done before, but was very clear in his wishes and his wife and her friends, all being nurses, knew the ways around the system.

His heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas have all brought new life to a number of people. We are so proud of him, despite our loss. He was 33, our final goodbye to him is on Monday with his funeral.

Having also had a child who has gone through a brain tumour, but survived and has done well, there is added poignancy to this for me.

We, as motorcycle riders, face a higher risk of losing our lives on the roads. This hit me again as I hit a Roo on my 1300 days before we were due to fly out to see Brock to say our goodbyes, knowing he only had a short time.

My request of you all is to discuss with your family the opportunity to donate your organs to those that may need them and if you want to donate them to others, to go to donatelife.gov.au and register as an organ donor.

It is the most rewarding thing you will ever do.

Cheers

Michael.

ruSTynutz:
Sorry for your loss...  :'(

I registered as an organ donor years ago...encouraged by the fact my now deceased brother was a recipient of a kidney.
While it wasn't a really good kidney, it still lasted close to 10 years before it failed.  :clap

StinkyPete:
We have had these discussions with our family, and all are on board as organ donors.   It's really important to communicate your wishes with family, as they can override your wishes after your death.  I was a registered organ donor for years, but now as a cancer survivor, I am no longer a suitable organ or blood donor.

Gerard & Sandra:
Shillas
Condolences to you and your kin
Rgds
GB

West Aussie Glen:
Just checked, as I thought already on the list

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page