H00TERS WAITRESS serving up more than wings/beer...

[noahvale]

^

[Jean]

God bless you both. I hope everything goes well for both of you. If only more people were like her.

[Rerun]

You hooked me on the subject line.

       

[okarol]

I think there's about 30 years difference in their ages. Too bad they didn't enter a swap to give/get kidneys from people closer in age.

[noahvale]

^

[PrimeTimer]

I saw this article too. Sounds like a win-win. People helping people and in this case, the gift was life and hopefully it will inspire others.

[okarol]

I think there's about 30 years difference in their ages. Too bad they didn't enter a swap to give/get kidneys from people closer in age.

Why is this "too bad?"  For him, this was the best answer possible - getting a young, healthy kidney.  He beat the cadaver donor allocation system that is biased against older folks.  And, for her, she had an opportunity to save the life of someone around her grandma's age (relieving unnecessary guilt) who she also liked (redemption).  This was a win-win.

Most people agree that a 20 year old kidney would be better for a 20 year old person. In a swap they could help save the life of another person who had a mismatched donor. He could get a 55 year old kidney, maybe even a better match, it would be a win-win-win.
The allocation system was unfair to younger people for the last 30 years. They are the smallest group waiting. They were often were given kidneys from deceased donors twice to more than 20 times their age, causing them to require 2 or 3 or more transplants. Meanwhile, 70+ year olds got teen kidneys.
Only 10.3% of people on the national wait list are under age 35.

[PrimeTimer]

Maybe the young lady didn't know about the swap program or, maybe she did but was adamant about her kidney going to that man in particular. The swap program would have been a very good idea but on the other hand, if the donor wasn't comfortable with that, then at least that man was given her kidney and in the process, maybe (hopefully) it made it possible for someone else that had been on the waiting list to be moved up (with one less person needing to be on the list). 

[okarol]

Maybe the young lady didn't know about the swap program or, maybe she did but was adamant about her kidney going to that man in particular. The swap program would have been a very good idea but on the other hand, if the donor wasn't comfortable with that, then at least that man was given her kidney and in the process, maybe (hopefully) it made it possible for someone else that had been on the waiting list to be moved up (with one less person needing to be on the list).

Turns out she was a perfect match, so that's the best you can hope for.
The surgery was Friday http://dudecomedy.com/hooters-waitress-donates-kidney-to-regular-customer-after-they-were-perfect-match/

[Simon Dog]

The allocation system was unfair to younger people for the last 30 years. They are the smallest group waiting. They were often were given kidneys from deceased donors twice to more than 20 times their age, causing them to require 2 or 3 or more transplants. Meanwhile, 70+ year olds got teen kidneys.
Only 10.3% of people on the national wait list are under age 35.

"Fair" is a concept that is hard to pin down, sort of like taxes.  If you are a young person, the old system was unfair.   Some older people feel the new system is unfair, with the requirement that someone over age 53 is prohibited from getting a top 20% organ unless no younger recipient is available.   A cadavar organ is an incredible gift, however, the system gives the donors of that gift little input as to whom will receive it.

The old system did not "disadvantage" young people - but it did fail to give them an advantage based on their youth.   Whether this was "fair" is all a matter of perspective.

It's sort of like "what is a fair tax?".  The general answer is "one that someone else pays".