AdventureDad

If the unlikely and unbearable would happen and your child  died at an early age, would you donate the organs to help others?  I pray never having to make this decision but I hope my answer would be "yes".  The situation for young kids is apparently pretty bleak and organ donations is a big problem.  At least here in Europe.   A  young child, say between 1 and 10 years old, needing a heart transplant might have to wait a year of more for a donor.  Teenagers do better, since hearts from a wider range of people are compatible, but still have to wait an average of a few months for a suitable heart. Many can wait but some simply don't make it.  What's the reason for the long wait times and few donors for children?  There are naturally fever kids than old people dying but that's not the main problem.  The largest obstacle is that hospitals don't ask the parents about donating the organs when their child dies.  I find this sad and surprising.

The psychological impact of a young child dying must be unbelievable.  Is it worse than an adult dying?  What's worse, your grandma or your young son dying?  Is your spouse's death worse than your daughter dying?  Tough questions.  I definitely get more emotional when discussing death of children compared to anyone else.  I'm not sure if that's right or wrong but young kids seem so innocent.  I can certainly understand the hospital's dilemma with having to ask the parents about donating organs just after their young child has passed away.  But I'm a little disappointed that the hospitals aren't more effective.  As you know, doctors rarely get emotionally involved in cases or patients regardless of the circumstances.  That would make all hospital staff insane.  They try to maintain a friendly but firm, and sometimes cold and businesslike, attitude towards all patients.  It's their job and the only way they can get through the day without having  a breakdown.  It must be difficult to deal with young kids dying but by asking there is also hope to save another young soul. 

Why am talking about this subject?  I just read about an 8 year old girl here in Sweden who needs a heart transplant and can't find a donor.  She's very ill and is at the top of the donor list in Europe for a new heart but they can't find a donor.  She's waited for over six months and is not doing very well.  I just tried to put myself in her parents situation and how I would handle it.  Honestly, probably not very well.  We do have a very good system here in Sweden for handling donations.  People who want to donate their organs can sign up at the site Livsviktigt and in case something would happen the hospitals know what to do.  Immediate relatives are often present but in case they are not the organs will still be donated.  There is only one list for the whole country and at the moment close to 20 % of the population has signed up to donate their organs.  I don't know have stats for other countries but 20 % sounds like a pretty high number to me.  The downside is of course that there are few young kids on the list.  And if you're not on the list and no relative is present, no organs can be donated due to legal reasons.

There are many factors which impact a persons choice regarding donating organs.  My personal view is  that I would like my organs to go to a nice person.  Sounds pretty wimpy, right?  I would not like a convicted rapist of a pedophile to benefit from my organs.  But those are not choices I can make and I guess they are not reasonable either.  I would like to donate my organs but I'm not currently on the donor list here in Sweden.  But the whole family will be put on the list after reading more about the organ donor problems. 

I hope  I would be strong enough to donate Daniel's organs in case something would happen to him.  Would you be that strong if your 2 year old child died??

Categories: Family, Kid stuff
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