Truth of Youth: Would you anonymously donate a kidney?

Truth of Youth: Would you anonymously donate a kidney?

“Donating a kidney is a huge sacrifice that would require a lot of thought and pondering. But if someone I was close with needed one and I was eligible, I would donate. Whether or not the act was anonymous wouldn't really matter to me. I'd just want my loved one to be healthy.

“On the other hand, I wouldn't give away a body organ to a stranger. I don't feel that it is my duty to do so. Don't get me wrong. I want only the best for our community and our world, but I would much rather that my kidney save the life of someone I love than that of a random person.

“To all the generous people that have and are donating their kidneys, and other organs to help people, I commend you. It is an honorable thing to be so selfless as to give in this way. Perhaps I haven't been called to do so for just anyone, but I have immense respect for citizens who have.”

Sianna Casey, eighth-grader

Fremont Middle School

“The novel ‘My Sister's Keeper' and screenplay ‘Seven Pounds' brought organ donation into the public eye at a national level. However, Inka Bajandas' recent article in The News-Review about local kidney donors brings the subject to the attention of our community. Our small town can boast two out of 141 national anonymous kidney donors. I would be extremely happy to donate a kidney anonymously because it changes the recipient's quality of life tremendously. I am on the Oregon Donate Life donor list and have donated blood, but a kidney donation would be a new start on life for someone whose quality of life is severely impaired. Even though a kidney recipient will be on immunosuppressant medication for the remainder of their life, they would no longer burdened by constant dialysis and other associated treatments. I might be somewhat nervous about the surgery if I were donating a kidney, but I would feel humbled to know that I was giving someone a gift that no one else could give them.”

Laura Gordon, senior

Roseburg High School

“My grandfather had kidney problems, and he couldn't get a kidney. The doctors were starting to tell him if he didn't get one he was going to die in a year's time. The question of would I give MY kidney to someone without knowing them comes down to one thing: Am I courageous person?

“I'm only 14, not knowing what's ahead of me. I don't take risks. I want to know what's going to happen. What if I have kidney problems when I'm older? I'm going to need the kidney I gave away.

“A young man, may he rest in peace, got in an accident. His kidney saved my grandpa's life. If my grandfather hadn't gotten that kidney, I never would have known him.

“If it were me lying in that hospital bed, I would be so grateful for the person who I don't know that had the courage to save my life. So in this instance I would be courageous, step up to the plate. I would save that person's life.”

Gena Chitwood, eighth-grader

Winston Middle School

“When I first read the question, I thought, ‘Yeah, definitely!' But the more I thought about it, the more I started second-guessing myself. It's easy to just say that I would do it, but the thought of actually going through all that seemed scary. Surgery would hurt, and it would be going to somebody I didn't even know. What if they weren't even a good person? Then I thought again, well, I would want somebody to donate their kidney for somebody in my family or for one of my friends. So I'm going to have to go with yes. Yes, I would donate my kidney to somebody I didn't know. It would be worth it to know that I had helped somebody and probably helped more people because of their family. I would have given somebody a second chance at life and that definitely would be worth it to me.”

Kayla Mosley, freshman

Sutherlin High School

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20101025/NEWS/101029845/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055