Todd Need[ed] a Liver

Mr. Christmas Lights writes "According to this CNN article, Todd Krampitz's liver transplant operation was a success. What is significant about this is how he used a multi-media campaign to get a donor - this included billboards stating 'I need a Liver. Please help Save my Life' that all pointed to his web site at ToddNeedsALiver.com where you can read more. Certainly a novel use of the World Wide Web."

Comments

Illegal?

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't understand. I thought organ transplants could not be done privately and could only be done through organ transplant lists where you were ranked on necessity and the immediate terminality of your situation?

So, how exactly would a media campaign expedite such a transplant?! It's not like he could pay someone for it and I'm pretty sure they require anonymity. As happened in this case, I don't believe they allow a specific person to donate a specific organ to a specific recipient without going through the hospital process as there might be someone else chosen as more needy or more urgent.

And at any rate, this just further shows the disparity between those who have money and those who do not. Those who have it can do a media blitz to get a liber or find their abducted child and so on while those without it are fucked.

By the way - his girlfriend is hot. Too bad they seem like a couple of religious nuts.

Re:Illegal?

[LiquidCoooled]

Your right, I don't think he can personally "buy" an organ, but by him driving a campaign forward and raising awareness of the issues,they will hopefully allow more people to become donars. More donars means more organs, and hopefully the list will get shorter.

It does not say on his website exactly how he became the recipient, but I find it hard to believe it came from a direct donation specifically to him.

I believe simply his age and other attributes made him a better donar recipient than (say) a 98 year old guy with other chronic problems, but I may be wrong.

From the "Donatealife" website, they say the following:


While donated organs and tissue are shared at the national level, the laws that govern donation vary from state to state. Therefore, it is important for you to know what you can do to ensure your decision to be a donor is carried out.

He has certainly raised awareness, and I wish him the best of luck in the (now much brighter) future!

i'm glad he's doing well but

[polished look 2]

does this mean that the person who is able to finance a media blitz will be first to receive a liver or other major organ?

Re:i'm glad he's doing well but

[Anonymous Coward]

In fact, yes.

Read the CNN article in which one of the people who works with/for the transplant list group cites that this sets a questionable precident by bypassing standard processes and channels and establishes an unfair and unlevel playing field.

Re:i'm glad he's doing well but

[forgoil]

Hopefully, in the future, we'll simply grow any organs that would be needed. That is unless some idiots stop this particular brand of research, but I hope there are countries who decides that this is still a good idea. Probably not from the kindness of their hearts, but out of lust for money.

Re:i'm glad he's doing well but

[Nurseman]

does this mean that the person who is able to finance a media blitz will be first to receive a liver or other major organ?"

In theory, the sickest person that is compatable is supposed to get the organ. In practice, being rich/famous probably gets you moved up a few places, witness Mickey Mantle and David Crosby, who both got liver's soon after their cases were wildly publicized. I think on the flip side, these very public cases help everyone, because more organs get donated.
Interesting totally off topic side note. Most major instituions prep 2 people for each organ, in case there is a problem with the first person, eg, organ doesn't fit, the 1st patient dies, etc. I worked on a floor, and often was in charge of prepping the "backup" person. He/she would be totally prepped, family by his side, only to be sent home, when the first person was successful. I don't eveny anyone who has to work with these people as they wait their turn. Please people, talk to your family, donate your organs.

Re:i'm glad he's doing well but

[I Be Hatin']

In theory, the sickest person that is compatable is supposed to get the organ. In practice, being rich/famous probably gets you moved up a few places, witness Mickey Mantle and David Crosby, who both got liver's soon after their cases were wildly publicized. I think on the flip side, these very public cases help everyone, because more organs get donated.

I think what would help even more would be if people like Mickey Mantle would die from not getting preferential treatment, just like thousands of normal people do every year. That way, the public would see that there is a need for livers, and not foolishly believe that everyone who needs a liver gets one within a few days.

Re:i'm glad he's doing well but

[phritz]

Um ... my only superstition about this is that if you sell your liver when you die, then only rich people with liver disease will get livers. Poor people with liver disease would have to go way into debt to purchase a free market liver ... or die.

Unbelievable that it's legal

[AxelBoldt]

I find it utterly unbelievable that relatives of organ donors can designate a recipient. Only medical criteria should matter. Otherwise, people with the money/wit to start a public relations campaign will be more likely to get an organ. And all that without the approval of the donor! I know that I would have hated to find my liver in this guy.

And someone just woke up in an icy bathtub...

[sdo1]

I heard that it had something to do with someone getting drugged, passing out, and waking up in an icy bathtub. Really. My friend sent me an email about it.

-S

So did he 'buy' his liver?

[Phoenixhunter]

The real question to ask here is whether or not such ad campaigns equate to 'buying' a liver through spending money on the advertisements? Could this be the next boon to advertisers?

Buying Life?

[JollyRogerX]

Isn't everyone supposed to have an equal chance at getting an organ? Remember Mickey Mantle who pickeled his liver with many decades of hard alcohol? He got a liver ahead of many people then promptly died a few months later. I guess this just proves yet again that some people are more equal that others (namely those with money).

Similar Web projects

[Peter Cooper]

While not as crucial as this one, I can think of two similarly novel uses of the Web to get what one wants.

Karyn Bosnak was $20,000 in the hole and set up SaveKaryn.com. Within a few months she had paid off all her debts from the contributions of strangers. Now she's an author.

Ramon Stoppelenburg wanted to travel around the world but had no money, so he started LetMeStayForADay.com, and managed to hitchhike around the world for a couple of years without spending a dime.

I also seem to recall a far older site called 'Send Me A Dollar', but I don't have the URL to hand now. Does anyone know of any other people who've used the Web for interesting personal gain?

This is the United States...

[robochan]

...where you also can't buy a baby

but you can buy the sperm, you can buy the egg,
and you can rent the uterus.