TurnRightThenLeft,

I believe that if a show brings to the public's notice the plight of those desparately needing organ transplants, it is good.

Admittedly, before I heard that it was a hoax, I thought it distateful. However, even then,
I thought ... "well hopefully some people watching will offer a kidney to the losers" or at least become postmortem donars ... and I believed this would occur.

Certainly, I would feel empathy for those losing out, and want to do something ... and I have no doubts that many, many others would feel the same. I already have an organ donation card ... The only requirement being that my organs go to someone who is is jet-setter. As I haven't been able to enjoy such luxuries during my liftetime, I am definitely determined that my organs get a chance (grin).

50,000+ New donors registered since the show.

At the moment in the Netherlands, everyone who turns 18 is being sent out a donor form, but only about half of these forms are being returned.
The waiting list before the show for kidney patients was around 4.5 years. The aim is to cut that waiting list in half.

Researchers found that the main reason why people haven’t registered as donors, apart from ‘just not getting around to it’, is misunderstanding.
Many people who are on medication think they can’t be donors, or people think that they are too old.
Fear is also a reason- people fear that their organs may be taken from them when they’re not really brain dead.
If we want to see an increase in donor registrations, I suppose these misunderstandings need to be cleared up. It always seems to boil down to education.
Some people said they don’t want to decide for themselves; they want their family to decide.

The health minister is now having meetings with people from the Kidney Foundation to work on a plan.

I wonder how long the waiting list in Australia is- I read that in 2004, this was also at least 4 years and often much longer.

Snout,
I agree with you on questions raised about who is ‘worthy’. This elimination process was quite distressing, but was included in the show for the purpose of shocking people into action. I do believe that showing how very hard it is to select one donor out of so many only proved that every patient is worthy of a transplant.

I’m not sure what happens normally- whether the more urgent cases would get priority or whether it would be a matter of available organs going to the matching patient at the top of the waiting list.

Danielle,
I, too, grant my organs a very exciting life after my death- I just hope they won’t suffer from some form of organic culture shock when introduced to new places and new foods to digest. Who knows- part of me might even become famous ;+)

That was an excellent explanation Celivia. I had no idea anyone knew about it here.

I've followed an online forum in a newspaper. The last I saw it had some 197 comments. Only a very, very few were disapproving, maybe 3.

It made many feel uncomfortable at first before it was known to be a hoax. But it certainly raised awareness and put a face to those waiting. It has been classed a huge succes.

Incidentally, quite a few also felt glee at the Dutch Prime Minister, who is a conservative, making a bit of a fool of himself by making disapproving comments at the beginning before it was known to be a hoax.
But then, that's a typical Dutch thing, satisfaction when someone who behaves in a pompous manner falling flat on his face.

Would it work here? I don't know that Australians are that comfortable with being that confronted with a sensitive and controversial subject. What do you think Celivia?

Thank you, Yvonne :)

I enjoy your comments in the abortion conundrum discussion and it's a pleasant surprise to see your post here, too.

Yes, I can imagine that there were few disapproving comments in that paper (which paper was it if I may ask?)- the results are fantastic.

Even before they knew it was a hoax, people were saying that since it would be all consensual, it should be up to the patients to decide whether they wanted to be part of this show or not; the government had no right to interfere.
I am so glad that the PM and some MP's made a total fool of themselves :)))

"But then, that's a typical Dutch thing, satisfaction when someone who behaves in a pompous manner falling flat on his face."

The good old "leedvermaak" is always there when I need it most!

"Would it work here? I don't know that Australians are that comfortable with being that confronted with a sensitive and controversial subject. What do you think Celivia?"

Oh, that's a hard question. Most people I have talked to in my daily life said that it would be tasteless and cruel, that there should be a different way to ask people to donate organs.
Perhaps the government here need to start with small things first, such as allowing homosexual people the same rights as everyone else.

Perhaps if they knew how successful the show was in The Netherlands, they might be more open to it. Good news always helps.

I will keep my eye out for Australian news on the positive results. Have you actually found any positive article on the results of the show in the Australian newspapers? I have only come across ones that opposed the show, but I have't actively searched for news on the show.

I've been following it in NRC Handelsblad. It's the paper I read most often (on line). They have a topic for discussion every week or so.

It is for instance very interesting to read how different the language is, the tenor of the language, when discussion is about controversial issues we deal with here. Like multiculturalism, nationality of MP's, Islam and Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Thanks Yvonne, I sometimes read that paper as well, but had never noticed the online forum.
I need to find some time to read the responses- there are so many!

Out of interest, I downloaded the donor form on
http://www.donorregister.nl/pdf/donorformulier.pdf
and I see that there are four options:

1. Yes, I will donate my organs- and you have the choice of excluding specific organs which you do not want to donate. (I can't help wondering for what reason some people would want to donate their organs except one or more, eg. their liver).

2. I don't want to donate my organs.

3. I leave it up to my surviving family/partner to decide what happens to my organs.

4. I leave it up to one specific person to decide what happens to my organs. You then fill in that person's name and other details.