Thread: Going Under The Knife For the Sake Of Someone Else

I have a friend of mine who has just started strongly considering donating part of his liver to help a friend of his who very likely has cancer of the liver.

Eventually he asked me if I would have ever thought of going through it and I wasn't really sure as I had never been in a situation were I have even had to begin thinking about going under the knife to keep someone else alive. I belief that anyone that just jumps in and says "Yes defiantly I'll do it, nothing to lose." would defiantly have second thoughts sitting at the operating table. So I challenged him and am trying to get him to think more seriously about it.

I admire anyone that goes through with an operation solely for the better of someones health. Even more so if the person is a complete stranger, I have complete respect for that. I don't know about doing it myself though. It's just a pretty serious decision that can't be made so lightly.

So why not ask what you guys think.
Would any of you ever consider doing such a thing like having a liver transplant (or any operation really) if someone you cared about could possibly die?
Or what if it was just to save someone you've never even met?
Have any of you ever been in a similar situation or know someone who has?

Opinions anyone?

For my son and wife I would - everyone else can go shove it

Sure, if someone I care the most needs it, I would surely submit yes.

I certainly would for someone I love. Although I don't think anyone would want my liver. A good friend of mine gave his body building brother a kidney when his shut down due to steroid use. Saved his life. The guy is still a body builder but now is a health freak. Out of 5 brothers he was the one who stepped up so I suppose it all depends on the individual....Peace

If it were for someone i care and love then yes i would do it for sure.

For the people I love sure, but I don't think my liver will do them any good, it's been overused :D

Wife - Yes
If I have a child - Yes
Rest of mankind - See you in hell

Bone marrow I may consider (I'm not sure what is involved but it doesn't sound that bad from what I have heard), but I rather need my liver to combat the beer I drink, and kidneys are so damn important that natural selection gave us 2. When I die I don't mind my organs harvested, but until that point, my organs are mine.

As for my advice to others, I would say a few things. First of all, make sure there is at least a 85-90% chance that the surgery will enable them to live another 10 years based on the condition. Cancer is one of those things that can come back hard. It would suck to have complications due to surgery and then have the person you are trying to help croak a year later. This stuff happens often enough, be sure you know the odds. Also, what are the possible damages to yourself and later consequences. I have read (no I don't have a citation) that donating a kidney, on average, leads to a shorter life (I wish I remembered how much, but I recall it being enough to not want to do it). Is keeping the person alive worth a shorter life span? I am not sure what the consequences of donating part of your liver are, so it may not be as bad. All surgery has risks too, which is something else to consider.

As to how you tell someone you can't donate, I have no idea. I generally speak my mind so it wouldn't be an issue to me, but I know most people are not that way.

Agree with you completely, I have no plans what so ever of donating any organs until I no longer need them.

Livers do grow back though so giving away a third of it (or however much they take) to save a life of a friend does seem to be a worthy cause taking it at face value. You can't be certain of the risks though so I suppose it all just comes down to who the person is and what they mean to you despite the possible risks.

Originally Posted by SimonSays

I have a friend of mine who has just started strongly considering donating part of his liver to help a friend of his who very likely has cancer of the liver.

Eventually he asked me if I would have ever thought of going through it and I wasn't really sure as I had never been in a situation were I have even had to begin thinking about going under the knife to keep someone else alive. I belief that anyone that just jumps in and says "Yes defiantly I'll do it, nothing to lose." would defiantly have second thoughts sitting at the operating table. So I challenged him and am trying to get him to think more seriously about it.



So why not ask what you guys think.
Would any of you ever consider doing such a thing like having a liver transplant (or any operation really) if someone you cared about could possibly die?
Or what if it was just to save someone you've never even met?
Have any of you ever been in a similar situation or know someone who has?

Opinions anyone?

my internal organs prob. isn't in a trade-worthy condition ,
so it might not be a problem for me :P