faust

I just do not understand this. I understand wishing your child will live, I understand the agony, but I do not understand the joy in learning of the death of another child which saves the life of yours.

Link to story

lunachick

I think you're being a bit harsh, faust.

That story doesn't say anything about any joy being felt at the death of another child. Relief that a compatible organ came to them, sure - and I know that organ had to come from the life lost in another, but I doubt very much that under the stress of the waiting and the pain of watching your child's life slip away, that they would be only thinking about the bodypart needed, not the way in which it comes to them. Those thoughts, which I'm sure will be heartfelt gratitude to the unfortunate donor, and true empathetic sadness for the family who lost their own little one, will come to them soon.

reprise

Having been quite closely involved in organ donation programmes I can tell you that the very worst feeling in the world is when a family wants to donate organs and there isn't a single person on the waiting list whose life can be saved by that donation. it's a horrible feeling when you ask a grieving family to donate those organs anyway for research - when you can't say to them, yes I know that you have a chid who has just died but her heart will allow another child to live RIGHT NOW.

I have never, EVER, encountered a recipient or a recipient's family which feels OK about the fact that somone died in order for them to live. I have - however - encountered potential recipients who have refused a matching organ because they were unable to cope with the manner in which that organ became available.

Barcode

I'm not sure I see where it says the parents were expressing " joy " at another child's death. They were reacting as most of us would I imagine.

When my step mother was on the waiting list for a heart transplant, we all hoped one would become available. It didn't mean any of us were happy for somebody else to die in order to prolong the life of my step mom.

Obviously, I wouldn't wish a death upon any family; but these things are part and parcel of everyday life. If somebody else can benefit, then some good has been accomplished.

It's my express wish that my organs are to be donated after my death -- doesn't mean I think some stranger will be overjoyed that I died to save their child/partner etc. How can they be, they didn't know *me*?

Rhaedas

I look at organ donation this way...the death of the person donating the organ would have likely happened anyway, given the same circumstances (whether or not you're a believer in fate). So given that, the choice is to either put the organs to good use saving another person, or let them die with the person. From that viewpoint, it seems a proper, selfless use of resources from both sides...as an organ doner, the dead help others live, and certainly the organ receiver shouldn't feel guilty, they're just using a resource the donater allowed to be available at their death.

People die all the time, and if more people donated their organs to needed places, more of the sick could get well.

keyser_soze

You'd think they would pray for spontaneous healing from god.....But then again, that's not exactly something that is forthcoming.