LifeSharers to Make Financial Contribution

How does it work?

LifeSharers will gift $1,000 to the family of any LifeSharers member who becomes a deceased organ donor  whose organs are transplanted into another LifeSharers member who is on the waiting list for a transplant. It's as simple as that!

We hope to increase the financial amount considerably and extend it to more members as more sponsors come on board. More details on the current terms and conditions are below.

Why is LifeSharers doing this?

New Zealand has the lowest organ donor rate in the Western World.

Whilst other countries are reporting a rise in donors our donor rate is going down. We must think outside of the square to improve our donor rates to help alleviate the needless loss of life and suffering of many Kiwi families.

The LifeSharers concept is one such example of thinking outside of the square. LifeSharers members offer to be organ donors should they die in circumstances that make them medically eligible, but with one condition, that their organs are offered first to other people who are be prepared to be donors.

By offering organs first to other registered donors it not only increases the number of organ donors but makes the system fairer. If you are a registered donor and then need a transplant why should your neighbour who also needs a transplant and refuses to be a donor go on the waiting list with the same conditions as you?

They may even get an organ before you!

Remember, if everyone had the same attitude as 'the neighbour' then there would be no organs for anyone.

Only around 25% of Kiwi drivers have 'donor' on their licence, but what percentage would say 'yes' to receiving an organ if it was to save theirs or a family members life?

Should we have an 'A' and 'B' list for those on the waiting list?

If the government announced tomorrow that "As of  1 January 2009 registered organ donors will go on the 'A' list should they require a transplant and those who refuse to be donors will go on the 'B' list. Those on the 'A' list will receive priority over those on the 'B' list. If the organ is not compatible with anyone on the 'A' list then it would go to the next compatible person on the 'B' list.

How long do you think it would be before we only had an 'A' list? How many more lives would be saved?

Even the most selfish of people would sign up as a donor if they thought it would give them access to organs that they may need in the future.

We believe that the government should pay donors' funeral costs

We have lobbied the previous government for seven years on this topic (and many other areas of organ donation.) But they refused to consider it.

Most people are busy living their lives to have time to consider what would happen to them after their death. Organ donation is based on altruism. Whilst altruism is a fine thing it is not worth the many lives lost each year.

If the organ donors funeral costs were paid for then many people may like the fact that it would take the financial burden off their families at an already traumatic time.

It is also the least that could be offered by the government as one donor can save the lives of, or improve the quality of life for up to ten people. Not to mention the benefits to the wider family and community, and of course the savings to the health system by getting people of expensive treatments.

It would be a small recognition on behalf of the country to those who have saved the lives of many others.

We believe that 'all' organ donors funeral expenses should be paid for by the government. LifeSharers is a non profit organisation and does not have the resources to do this. Therefore the 'gift' is limited to LifeSharers members only.

Is it Legal?

Now this is the interesting bit! But in a word. Yes.

The government, having said that they wouldn't consider it, recently introduced new legislation (The Human Tissue Act) that makes it illegal to offer an inducement for the selling of organs. So of course they then had found an excuse not to pay donors funeral expenses because of the law that they had just introduced!

They had failed to read their own law though. The law makes exceptions and even gives the Minister of Health the authority to override those rules. So they could make those payments after all.

Though the Minister can make exceptions, LifeSharers can not and has to abide by the law and not offer an inducement to donate organs.

It came to our attention that Otago University are turning away full body donors as they had too many! (Full body donors bequeath their bodies for medical research etc.)

It was also revealed that full body donors have their funeral expenses paid. (Sort of.... see below.)

So now we have a situation where someone donates their bodies including 'all' organs for research, have their funeral cost paid and there is a surplus of donors...

In contrast, we have organ donors willing to save other lives with immediate effect with no expenses paid and we have a chronic shortage....

Ministers' Response...

I pointed out this anomaly to the former Minister whose portfolio included organ donation. (Associate Minister of Health.) His written reply said that Otago University do not pay funeral expenses but 'Disposal Costs.'

He further went on to say that to pay funeral costs 'is' an inducement but disposal costs is 'not' an inducement.

So there we have it. In writing from a Minister of the Crown that we can not offer a contribution to funeral expenses, but we can offer a contribution to 'disposal costs.'

How the family 'dispose' is up to them, but a funeral is usually a popular choice....

Conditions

As stated earlier, LifeSharers is a family run initiative, so we are limited in our resources at this point in time.

If we can get sponsors on board we would be able to offer more money or offer the same amount to more people or a combination.

If you know of interested sponsors we can be contacted at: info@lifesharers.org.nz

•  Available to LifeSharers members only
• As per the terms of LifeSharers membership there is a 6 month stand down time between signing up as a member and receiving any LifeSharers benefits
• The deceased organ donors family will receive a 'contribution' if some or all of the organs go to another LifeSharers member.
• The maximum amount at this time will be $1,000 per donor.
• Initially it will apply to the first three donors only

If you are not a LifeSharers member sign up now!

If you are a member and on the transplant waiting list please let us know.

LifeSharers if free to join and we welcome everyone. There are no medical restrictions to joining.

Andy Tookey

Director - LifeSharers NZ

andy@lifesharers.org.nz