The ghost of donor passed: CALL TO ACTION The ghost of donor passed

D.M. Shaw*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

I am an angry ghost. I died in a car crash last month. I'm not very happy about that, but that's not why I'm angry. I was a registered organ donor, and my wife didn't respect my wish to donate my organs. I'm a bit upset with her about that, but I'm really angry because the medical team let my wife, who was in great distress, over-rule my wishes without asking her to reconsider. When she told the medical team that she was too upset to agree to donation, they simply accepted that in order to avoid upsetting her further. I'm angry because they did that despite knowing that they are supposed to respect the wishes of registered donors. It was as if I wasn't there. No-one spoke for me.

I'm also angry because my wife now regrets her decision and there's nothing she can do about it. She hates the fact that she disrespected my last wish, and this has caused arguments with my parents too. She was denied the opportunity to use my death to save and improve lives. This is the medical team's fault.

And I'm angry because two other people have died because they didn't get my organs. They're my ghost friends. We're all angry that their deaths are partly due to the ease with which my wife was able to over-rule my wishes. They are angry because their families are in extreme distress. All of this is because of the failure of the medical team, which should not have given in to my wife without a fight. I am an angry ghost. I have very many reasons to be angry. And I have very many ghostly

Original languageEnglish
Article numberh6244
Number of pages2
JournalBMJ
Volume351
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Dec 2015

Keywords

  • ORGAN DONATION

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