September 12th, 2012 | 
Author: Publicity was given about the USA organisation Matching Donors bringing their system to the uk. Paul Dooley from the organisation was quoted as saying
The old system of ‘Give us your organ, we’ll decide where it goes’ no longer works. We have the ability to take our system to the UK and save their lives.”
Since the first non-directed altruistic donor was approved in 2007, the HTA have approved in total 160 donors as of September 2012, 33 of those in the first half of this year alone. There are also many potential donors being worked up at the moment with 30 at one transplant unit alone.
It is very clear that our [UK] system not only works but is increasing greatly year after year. I contacted Matching Donors and asked if they would answer some questions regarding their system and how it affects people in the UK. They readily agreed to do this.
Several people had already asked me questions about the organisation so I put a list together of questions. These questions were relating to how their organisation was run; what they offered members in the UK for the $595 membership fee and what support members and potential donors got once they had joined. These questions I sent to Matching Donors on 8th September, and await their reply.
Living Kidney Donation is very keen to work alongside Matching Donors to ensure the wellbeing of UK members.
6 Responses to “Questions for MatchingDonors.com organisation”
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Hello Di,
Watching the TV programme I thought you were against this group yet you are wanting to work alongside them? the website doesn’t seem to be for ths country. not sure if looking in right place. I will be donating next year or rather putting myself forward. have a wedding to attend this year and other domestic bookings. Best I clear diary before committing myself. I will be donating to a stranger. Sickens me to think some may choose person they donate to perhaps on ethnic or religious grounds. Put another way, exclude people on those grounds rather than select.
Keep up the good work
Regards
Brandon
Hi Brandon,
Thanks for posting.
When I appear to be against the group, I am not against the group itself, not at all – they have made many matches in the USA and helped recipients get a donor. I am just not in favour of selecting your own recipient. Having said that, it is up to each of us to decide who we decide to donate to and I am not going to stand in the way of anyone wanting to donate to someone they choose, not at all. If someone wants to choose that is up to them. What I do care about though is the welbeing of donors and recipients signing up to the group. The recipient pays a lot of money (around $600) to be a member and they and the potential donors need to know exactly what they are getting when they sign up. So I am more than happy to work alongside the group to help advise and point people in the direction of the NHSBT or local transplant units so they can follow through on donating to whomever they want. I just want to help where I can in the wellbeing of UK members. There are many potential problems in choosing who you donate to and members need to know there is help available should something go wrong.
Hey,
I`m 27 and in London. It`s been two and half years that I have been doing dialysis Every DAY for 8 hours. After finding out that my family and friends are not compatible I turned to this website and found a person who is willing to save my life and end my suffering but my hospital rejected that donor and said that cannot accept unless you know that person personally. I don`t know but do they ask the deceased person if they knew the person who will be getting their kidney? why can`t a living donor donate to someone whom he wishes to save. It`s not like hospitals are doing a good job at finding donors that’s why people turn to other people. And I think we should encourage living donations rather than discouraging them . It saves someone`s life for God`s sake. This will reduce the trend of going to other countries or buying organs. It`s like telling your kids not to help someone until you know them Personally. Will you let someone die on those basis? This makes me sick……..
Hi Anam,
Thank you for posting. The difference between asking a stranger to donate to you and a deceased person being the donor, is that money can change hands with the living donor. It is illegal to buy or sell an organ in this and many other countries. It is very hard for the NHSBT to determine whether money or some other incentive is passing hands when someone goes out looking for a stranger to donate. Also there can be problems if say further down the line the donor decides to pull out. Who is going to protect the recipient from the emotional upset? who would protect the donor should the recipient start to lay on pressure? It only takes one instance of a potential donation going wrong, when someone chooses their recipient or recipient chooses donor – who are strangers – and it could undermine the whole living donation programme and put other people off donating.
Altruistic donation has in the last year trebbled. More and more people are coming forward. More and more are also signing the donor register.
Until safeguards can be put into place to protect both donor and recipient then the NHSBT and HTA need to be cautious. It was only in early 2007 that the first altrustic donation took place. That is only 5.5 years ago, which is not that long. In time I am sure things will change.
I know donors and recipients in the USA who chose their “donation partner” and where it went terribly wrong and donor changed their mind, or recipient turned out to have – lets say – used misleading persuasion methods to entice a donor – all of which was awful for the parties concerned. There was noone there to pick up the pieces etc.
We are encouraging living donors and as I said before altruistic has trebled in the last year and more.
Why dont you go to your local newspaper and ask them to do a story on the lack of asian donors – spread the word.
Please be patient I am sure an acceptable donor will be found for you. But however a donor is found – both donor and recipient must be protected and have full support available throughout the whole process and afterwards.
I hope you get a kidney soon,
All the best
Di
Dear Di,
Thanks for explaining to me about all the things that could go wrong that is why the identity of the dOnor is kept private so to avoid things like that. T
At the moment that is the only way to protect both donor and recipient. One day things will change, i am sure …. just like altruistic donation was accepted – so with other types of donation – in time.
until then I pray that a compatible donor is found for you.
Take care – be strong, be positive
Di