# Are you an organ donor? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2013, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888 "2013-01-31T06:28:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/1 "2013-01-31T06:28:24Z")
A random thought/question inspired by a comment in another thread? Does your driver’s license have you flagged as an organ donor or do you have other instructions in place to accomplish the same result? All the possible variations would result in more options than I want to enumerate so I’ve minimized the selections to the basics. Feel free to elucidate your votes as you see fit. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/2 "2013-01-31T06:30:41Z")
Yes I am, and I’m also on the bone marrow registry. > **[HomePage](https://bethematch.org/)** > > Be The Match is a global leader in bone marrow transplantation and connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or blood stem cell transplant. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/3 "2013-01-31T06:36:43Z")
I am as well. And I’ve got a 5 gallon blood donor pin stashed somewhere. I work in a hospital so donating blood is easy because the local blood bank sets up an event every two months. ETA: And please explain if you vote ‘Other’ ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/4 "2013-01-31T06:38:58Z")
Yes. They won’t take my blood, but they’ll take my organs. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/5 "2013-01-31T07:57:18Z")
Yes. My stepdad suffered from end-stage liver failure in the last couple of years, and was saved almost at the last moment by a donor liver. It’d be extremely fucking churlish of me to not be a donor. And even if I hadn’t signed up, my family would say yes if asked anyway. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/6 "2013-01-31T09:52:48Z")
Yes I am a donor, but I am a little scared at some of the stories of how eager they are to cut you open and harvest your organs, even though you might only be merely dead not most sincerely dead. I know time is of the essence with organs… but some of the stuff I’ve read has been scary. That being said, I really do hope that if I die early, I am able to give the gift of life to someone else. I am a relatively healthy person with basically no weird allergies, rare blood type, and I don’t smoke at all or drink heavily. But yeah, as panache said, as a gay man I can’t donate blood, but they’ll cut me open and rip out my heart if they get the chance! ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/7 "2013-01-31T10:51:56Z")
Yep, the fam knows I want 'em to use EVERYTHING. This summer I’ll also be applying to get on the bone marrow registry. I have to wait until 1 year after my WLS before they’ll let me join. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/8 "2013-01-31T11:15:14Z")
Organ donor since I was 18, they can have it all. And recently, since I was told more about it on this board, I have started thinking about going on the bone marrow registry. I still need to speak to a friend at the hospital, see how to go about it. If there’s anything left after that it can go “to science”. They can prod it & poke it, or whatever it is they do. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/9 "2013-01-31T12:33:15Z")
Yeah, if they want my organs after I’m through with them, they can have them. If they don’t want them…well, I’ve told my husband various things I want done with my body. I’ve told him that I want my body made into a diamond, and he HAS to use this diamond for the engagement ring of his next wife. I know he’d get married again, I just want to make sure that I’m remembered. Hehehe. I’ve also told him that I want a burial in space, or to let a body farm have my body. Since he has conflicting instructions, he’ll probably just bury me, which is what HE wants to do when I’m gone. He wants me to bury him, if I should outlive him. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/10 "2013-01-31T12:49:56Z")
Donor here. The Netherlands has an Opt-in system, and I enlisted first chance I got. It’'s nice to be of use and live on after I’ve died. makes me feel in control of stuff. I set limitations but I don’t assume anyone will pay attention. I asked in a codicil if the erceiver of my organs will become either a vegetarian, or , also fime with me, if they will buy only animal friendly farm products. I’d hate it if I died, and I kept another human alive for whom a couple of chickens a week have to be tortured to death. I donated blood about 15 times, but stopped after I had major surgery. And thanks for the link, I’ll look into bone marrow. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/11 "2013-01-31T12:51:47Z")
We have to pay to become bone marrow donors in South Africa (due to lack of funding) and I don’t have the R2000 spare to register. I donate blood even though I am liable to faint at the sight of it; and all organs (perhaps except my liver) are available for donation. The rest can go to med students to practice on. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/12 "2013-01-31T13:07:09Z")
My California drivers license has a pink dot on it, indicating to the hospital that they can harvest anything they want. I don’t know how that applies to me here though. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/13 "2013-01-31T17:28:22Z")
Organs, blood, marrow. If I am dead, I am not still in my body and it is nice if it can be useful. I doubt that I will be in good enough shape for the organs to be used, so I am good with the idea of being used in autopsy to train new students. With their stress levels I am sure they can use a good laugh. :smack:😃 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/14 "2013-01-31T17:31:56Z")
I donate blood and am on the bone marrow registry, but I am not an organ donor. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/15 "2013-01-31T17:36:13Z")
Not yet. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/16 "2013-01-31T17:43:45Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Not yet. Damn! I was so close! ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/17 "2013-01-31T17:45:43Z")
Yeah, my license says I’m a donor and I’m on the bone marrow registry as well. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/18 "2013-01-31T17:48:58Z")
I’m a donor, currently looking for a donee (is that a word)? When I’m dead, take whatever you want. Alive, no one wants anything I have right now, nor can I give blood due to tattoos. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/19 "2013-01-31T17:50:25Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Yes. They won’t take my blood, but they’ll take my organs. That’s interesting. Is it just the Red Cross’s silly old bureaucracy versus the organ donor network’s (??) newer, hipper bureaucracy, or is medically based that gay organs are safer than gay blood? Perhaps certain organs couldn’t transmit AIDS (corneas?) so you get to sign the donor registry, you’re just not 100% eligible, organ-wise…hmm ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888/20 "2013-01-31T17:52:08Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > I’m a donor, currently looking for a donee (is that a word)? When I’m dead, take whatever you want. Alive, no one wants anything I have right now, nor can I give blood due to tattoos. Did you recently get a tattoo, or get an unsafe tattoo? People with tattoos can donate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-an-organ-donor/648888.md?page=2)