Strange topic

stub1969
stub1969 Member Posts: 978 Member

Good afternoon, everybody!  I have a question for the group.  Today I renewed my driver's license and was asked if I wanted to continue to be an organ donor.  "Absolutely!" was my response.  But, I started thinking...I've been diagnosed with two (three if you count basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer)) different types of cancer...both in 2016.  RCC and papillary thyroid cancer.  My question is do these two diagnoses interfere with my wish of being an organ donor? 

I have my thyroid follow-up scans at the end of February, so I'll ask my doctor then.

Thanks, everybody. 

Stub

Comments

  • Bryn1108
    Bryn1108 Member Posts: 97 Member
    Good question

    Very good question 

  • a_oaklee
    a_oaklee Member Posts: 566 Member
    Organdonor.gov

    Information is available at organdonor.gov

    Everyone who is interested is invited to sign up.  Suitability of organs is determined at time of death.  

    Im aware that people who die with active cancer are not considered suitable to donate.   Even with this stated on the website, I have read of patients on smart patients who did indeed become donors.

    Clearly, we all know that all cancer patients are not alike.  In our RCC community there is a big difference between Stage 1 and Stage 4.

    Im glad you posted this subject, and im interested in reading the opinions of others.

  • rdoyd2
    rdoyd2 Member Posts: 80 Member
    I was told that I could never

    I was told that I could never donate blood or plasma again , so I would not think we could be organ donors.

  • a_oaklee
    a_oaklee Member Posts: 566 Member

    Redcrossblood.org has an extensive easy to understand list of criteria for donation.

    Re cancer, only blood type cancers are excluded, lymphoma, hodgekins etc.    RCC is not excluded.  It says you have to wait 12 months after treatment to donate.

    The information I'm sharing is for the US on .gov websites.

  • eug91
    eug91 Member Posts: 471 Member
    this may not apply, but-

    Stub-

    I don't know if this even applies, but before my cancer I was signed up as a bone marrow donor. Post cancer, I'm now ineligible to donate. But the rules say that if I go five years without any recurrence, I can be re-added to the donor list. So I'm hoping!