odd question

christinecarl
christinecarl Member Posts: 543 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Now that you have been diagnosed with colon cancer, do you have to not be a donor anymore on your driver's license? I know I had to remove myself from the Marrow Donor website, which was a sad day for me.

Comments

  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #2
    Hmmmm
    I have never even thought of that, and my renewal date is coming up next month on my birthday. I am a donor well, I'll have to ask whether I can still be a donor or not now.

    Hugggsss!
    ~Donna
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #3
    Depends
    Even during active cancer, certain things can be used. Cornea and skin, muscle tissue, etc. Depends on lots of stuff. Did you know the foreskin from one baby can grow enough skin to cover a football field.

    Bones are irradiated before being donated so they are considered safe.

    I'd asked that question a while back because my mother had breast cancer about 27 years ago and thinks she'll infect if she donates.

    From ACS questions and answers:

    While cancer has very rarely been transmitted through transplants of solid organs such as kidneys, cancer due to blood transfusion has not been reported in the medical literature. This would suggest that the chance of getting cancer from a blood transfusion is extremely small. Even if cancer cells were present in donated blood, the immune system of the person getting the blood would destroy the cells.

    Organ donation

    Many cancer survivors also wish to help people by becoming organ donors. There is always a pressing need for organ donation. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization that facilitates every organ transplant in the United States, more than 100,000 people are waiting for organs. Some organ donations, such as kidney donation, may be done when a person is still living. Others are possible only if a person wishing to donate passes away under certain circumstances.

    The risk of passing on cancer to the person who gets an organ is very small, but there have been some rare reports in the medical literature of this happening. The risk may be higher for organ transplants than blood transfusions, in part because organ recipients are given drugs to suppress their immune systems to help prevent rejection of the transplant.

    According to a study by UNOS, under certain circumstances there may be an acceptable risk in using organs from donors who have had certain types of cancer. This is particularly true if there is a long cancer-free interval before the organ donation. At present, UNOS does not recommend accepting organs from people with "actively spreading cancer (except for primary brain tumors that have not spread beyond the brain stem)." Acceptance of organs for donation is up to each organ procurement agency and the recipient. If you have questions about whether you may be able to donate your organs, please contact UNOS (see the "Additional resources" section) or the organ procurement center in your community.

    For many people, donating the corneas from their eyes is another way to offer help to others after they pass away. Almost all people with cancer (except those with certain blood or eye cancers) can donate their corneas. Corneal donation does not delay the funeral and the body is not disfigured.

    Last Medical Review: 07/13/2009
    Last Revised: 07/13/2009
  • HollyID
    HollyID Member Posts: 946 Member
    #4
    What a great question!
    I never knew that about bone marrow donations, though... I guess I should inform them I probably can't donate now.

    As far as organ donation, at our hospital, after every death, I believe it's a state or federal law to call the organ donation foundation. Even if they don't want to be donors, we have to call them. Even those who wish to donate, the ultimate power lies with the family according to state law. (maybe federal law, too?) Which is why it's so important to let your family know YOUR wishes.

    If the deceased meets certain criteria, the family is approached about donation. I agree with Diane and think it just depends on which organs they can take.
  • christinecarl
    christinecarl Member Posts: 543 Member
    #5
    HollyID said:

    What a great question!
    I never knew that about bone marrow donations, though... I guess I should inform them I probably can't donate now.

    As far as organ donation, at our hospital, after every death, I believe it's a state or federal law to call the organ donation foundation. Even if they don't want to be donors, we have to call them. Even those who wish to donate, the ultimate power lies with the family according to state law. (maybe federal law, too?) Which is why it's so important to let your family know YOUR wishes.

    If the deceased meets certain criteria, the family is approached about donation. I agree with Diane and think it just depends on which organs they can take.

    thanks for the replies
    I had emailed the marrow donor program and asked, they said colon cancer is one of the cancers that requires removal from the list for possible donation. : (

    But I am happy about the cornea thing.
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #6
    .......
    My brother was an alcoholic and had dabbled in hard drugs. His liver was mush. He'd attempted suicide and blown out his colon when he was in his 40's. When he was murdered almost 3 years ago, we donated his leg muscle, eyes, valves in his heart, etc. His skin was too weathered from the Fla. sun and years of wandering the US as a 'traveling man' to be used, but his kidneys saved two lives in the Miami area.

    The Mayo Clinic says: One donor can save 8 lives and enhance the life of 50 more people.



    We should all give back to our fellow man by donating organs when we no longer have need for them. :o)
  • PamPam2
    PamPam2 Member Posts: 370 Member
    #7
    christinecarl said:

    thanks for the replies
    I had emailed the marrow donor program and asked, they said colon cancer is one of the cancers that requires removal from the list for possible donation. : (

    But I am happy about the cornea thing.

    donation
    I have my entire body donated to the medical school at OSU, for the medical students. You can request the ashes be sent back for a fee. I prepaid the local funeral home $200 for the necessary forms and transport.
    Pam
  • christinecarl
    christinecarl Member Posts: 543 Member
    #8
    dianetavegia said:

    .......
    My brother was an alcoholic and had dabbled in hard drugs. His liver was mush. He'd attempted suicide and blown out his colon when he was in his 40's. When he was murdered almost 3 years ago, we donated his leg muscle, eyes, valves in his heart, etc. His skin was too weathered from the Fla. sun and years of wandering the US as a 'traveling man' to be used, but his kidneys saved two lives in the Miami area.

    The Mayo Clinic says: One donor can save 8 lives and enhance the life of 50 more people.



    We should all give back to our fellow man by donating organs when we no longer have need for them. :o)

    I am sorry about your brother
    But what a wonderful legacy

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