In December of 2001 I saw a local news story of an infant who needed a liver transplant. I only knew that we had the same blood type. After all the hatred that was 9-11, I thought it would be wonderful way to show the world that love does exist. I was tested and tested and tested - for an entire week. Turns out I was a perfect match. That little baby turned 9 in July and is doing very well.

I had trepidations the day of the surgery, but things went extremely well. I would do it again in a heartbeat. And I would have donated to an adult, but unlike the baby, I would have to have a family connection. It is a risk, but if my brother or sister needed an organ from me in order to live - I wouldn't hesitate. The greatest thing we have as human beings is our families. I think most of us would take the risk.

 After sitting here reading all about the Chad\Ryan liver transplant in Colorado as well as this story, I myself as a living donor of a kidney to my beloved sister Sandy (R.I.P) in 1998 as well as an organ donor, can not stress enough the importance of living organ donations as well as making one self an organ donor in the event of death.

When my Sister went into renal failure out of the blue back in 1994, she was within deaths door being that if she had waited even 30 minutes in getting to the hospital, she woudn't have made it. She was placed on hemo-dialysis for a 2 year period while she considered her options of transplant surgery. I immediately volunteered to be tested in which I was dubbed a 1/2 match (same blood type, DNA factors 1/2). I then tried my hardest to convince my Sister of going through with the transplant which she being too fearful, chose the option of Peritineal home dialysis instead while waiting for a cadaver kidney.

She remained on home dialysis for 2 years before finally giving into having our transplant surgery in November of 1998 at Baystate Medical in Springfield, MA. I knew the risks from day one and never ever hesitated because making my Sister's life whole again was the most important goal to me at the time and I still to this day would gladly do it over again. You see that surgery gave her and her children, our family and myself 10 extra wonderful years of her life, and that I wouldn't change for all the money in the world. Sadly the same hospital which saved my sister's life in 1998, took her life in 2008 needlessly.

You see she had a mild heart attack before being transferred to Baystate from her hometown of North Adams, MA.  After having a heart catherization and finding 2 minor blockages and totally missing a major blockage behind the other, they decided to put her through a stress test which sadly killed her. She walked off the treadmill and collapsed in the floor in heart failure, dying on the way to the OR where they did a repeat cath finding the blockage they missed to begin with. Therefore she should have never been put on that treadmill at all. Sadly her daughter fought the demon of a decision as to how to bring charges against a hospital for taking her mom's life, when they had saved her life 10 years earlier?

My neice being young, too distraught and torn to go through an ordeal in the justice system, just walked away. So we can only pray that my Sister's death wasn't in vain and that the hospital will learn from this tragedy not allowing this to ever happen again. I know a part of me died with my Sister that sad day But, I am a full supporter of organ donations both living and cadaver and cannot stress enough the dire need of people becoming donors. Yes the risks might be great being a living donor, but knowing you will be giving the recipient the greatest gift in life far outweighs the risks.

I knew of a family who lost a loved one after donation. The daughter donated a kidney to her dad. She died one month after her donation, due to a clot to the lung, that wasn't picked up despite her shortness of breath and chest pain. This was related to healing at the site where her kidney was removed. She was married, had two young kids, and her dad went on to lose not only his daughter, but the kidney stopped working within a year. Just a sad case.

I am a live liver donor, I donated 70% of my liver to my brother. He and I are both alive today seven years later. So it is with rare actual experience I say it is never OK for live organ transplants. There are thousands on top of thousands of organs that are wasted every year because people are too ignorant and too selfish to donate their organs when they die.

Every time someone dies and organs that could have been used to save the lives of several people are destroyed it is a heinous crime. The organs that can be used from any and every cadaver that possibility can be used should be.

Organs are being buried or cremated when they should be recycled and saving lives.

In a country that taxes everything possible we should add a penalty tax, anyone who dies without registering to donate their organs, their family and their estate must pay $10,000 and if you do register there should be a tax credit for your family and your estate instead.

Healthy people should never jeopardize their health for any reason and organ donation is the most extreme violations of one’s health possible. Live organ donations should never be done and there should not be the artificial shortage of organs because of ignorant selfish people.

It is time to end the experimental process of live organ transplants, time to stop damaging healthy bodies and time to demand from society that people stop wasting the most valuable thing they may ever have the gift of life. Every American should be a registered organ donor so that on their deathbed they can accomplish major miracles and save many lives.

And live healthy people should be left that way - stop live organ donations now.

Im almost on the transplant list I agree with your article If my son or daughter needed a donor I wouldnt think twice or brother for that matter its one percent chance od donors dying thats not much to save a life of someone you love Thank you for the article its hard not knowing how much time you got