Dialysis enables potential organ donors.

[Sunny]

I've been thinking lately about how dialysis enables the population at large to ignore the plight of people with ESRD.
Dialysis is a great scientific tool, thank God it was invented. But it enables people to overlook the need for organ donation. If people with ESRD were dying to the extent they would be dying if dialysis were not so efficient, then maybe more people would sign those donation cards. It's sort of a "catch 22" situation, you are overlooked so easily because people don't see your plight. Instead you are forgotton and the dire need for organ donation is overlooked. I understand not everyone wants an organ donation. I even understand some people can lead a very long and fulfilling life on dialysis. That is not my point. The issue is that dialysis is so good at what it does, organ donation goes under the radar.

[monrein]

On the other hand, people in need of liver transplants (just a piece will do) don't have anything to keep them going and liver donors aren't crawling out of the woodwork either. 

Personally,among the people I know, I can't think of a single one who thinks that D is easy or a great alternative to a more normal life.  I never whined or complained about it but I did my level best to make sure that anyone I talked to got a good sense of the extreme issues involved, the restrictions, the fatigue, the  losses, and the dire shortage of organs for transplant.  I could never ask anyone to be a living donor for me  (I could for someone else...child, husband, sister, friend) but I have had many a discussion about donating after death (reminding them to be sure and tell family members how strongly they feel about donating) and have had many people show me their new donor cards.