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For those of you who have not seen the news lately, yesterday it hit the news that NBA star Alonzo Mourning is in need of a kidney transplant. Today, fans everywhere lined up to be tested as possible donors. I was a little bit surprised that complete strangers would volunteer to be tested. But, Mourning was a very popular player, and a lot of people really liked him.

So, in light of this, imagine hypothetically that Jimmy needed a kidney transplant, and none of his family matched. Would you volunteer to be tested? I think I speak for most everyone here when I say that most of us have never even met Jimmy, but his music brings us so much joy that we feel like he is a member of our family. When his parents died earlier this year, I personally remember feeling like a good friend of mine had just lost a parent.

So, what do you think you would do? Could you go through this for Jimmy-even though you don't really know him? Just as a sidenote: In Mourning's case, they are doing background checks on donors, and anyone volunteering for the wrong reason is turned away. So, anyone who would be volunteering in hopes of getting a nice payment from Jimmy or front row tickets for life (assuming JB is well enough to keep touring after the transplant) would be turned away-although I wouldn't be surprised if someone who matched and eventually became a donor did wind up getting some kind of reward like that.

Funny you mention this...we talked about this out at a bar last night. While Alanzo is a person who deserves every shot at a new liver....and I pray he gets one and can live a full life...but it bothers me that because of his statis as a sports figure people, who would not normally think to do something like this, line up to be tested. I wish all average people who are in need of transplants were lucky enough to have even one person line up to offer help. I have to question a strangers motive for this...if you would do that for Alanzo...why have you never offered it to the millions who have been on waiting lists for years?

My vote goes with Kitty on this one. As much as I admire JB if you're willing to give up an organ, there are thousands of people in need. No knock on Jimmy, but with his resources he could pay whatever to a healthy donor to fulfill that need: is that the wrong reason? Thousands of others don't have the financial options of Alonzo or JB. Don't get me wrong - I hope for a favorable outcome to Alonzo's dilemna and certainly hope Bubba (or anyone else) is never in that position.

As a Chicago Bear phan I faced a similar feeling when Walter Payton was sick. Hundreds of people volunteered to be donors for Sweetness, while thousands die each year waiting in silence.

Yeah, i would want to bve there for Jimmy, but whether its giving blood or $$$$ we can be there for a lot of people every day of th year

Cubbie Bear wrote:As a Chicago Bear phan I faced a similar feeling when Walter Payton was sick. Hundreds of people volunteered to be donors for Sweetness, while thousands die each year waiting in silence.

Yeah, i would want to bve there for Jimmy, but whether its giving blood or $$$$ we can be there for a lot of people every day of th year

Amen!!

I agree with what you all have said.

I have a friend at home that has a sick baby daughter, that is 1 year old and never left the hospital.

Next week they are doing their last option to correct her problem and if that fails, she will lose a lung and will need need a lung transplant.
(which means bringing her to the USA and costing the family hundreds of thousands - which will need to be done through fundraising)

Amber has not even had a chance at life yet - everyone deserves that chance regardless of status/fame or wealth.

i think it's pathetic that people would line up to give a guy a kidney because he's their favorite sports celeb.
no i would not donate for jimmy because for one i don't know him.i love his music,writing and way of life(although mostly just a cover)but for all i know,if i met him and hung out i might not like him.
and number 2,if my family members needed a kidney ever and i had already given mine to someone i don't know i'd feel like a real ass

Did not think of that conundrum Tomm. Sorry mom I gave mine to Jimmy.

No I would not stand in line to to be tested for a celebrity. I would be much more willing to stand in line for the average Joe or Jane as celebs and athletes already have resources available to them well beyond the average Smoe's resources.

Is it fair to the thousands already on waiting lists for kidneys, for Alonzo to be put at the top of the list?

And are the people willing to donate to Alonzo going to go ahead and donate to the "unknowns" if they're not picked as a match for him?

It's quite an ethical dilemma. As Brad Paisley sings, "when you're a Celebrity"...

PHAW Webmistress wrote:

Cubbie Bear wrote:As a Chicago Bear phan I faced a similar feeling when Walter Payton was sick. Hundreds of people volunteered to be donors for Sweetness, while thousands die each year waiting in silence.

Yeah, i would want to bve there for Jimmy, but whether its giving blood or $$$$ we can be there for a lot of people every day of th year

Amen!!

WPS!

I would probibly donate my kidney if Jimmy needed it. I believe that it would be a way to pay Jimmy back for all hes given me. He helped me shape the path of my life, and that would be a way to do the same for one of my heros.

I have a rather unique perspective on this. My brother is a transplant recipient who was on the list almost three years. He was getting a double (kidney-pancreas) which should have placed him higher on the list. He underwent dialysis three times a week that entire time. Having celebrities jump to the head of the line insults the thousands of everyday people who are waiting for transplants every day. I had a friend who died of cihrrosis the week after Mickey Mantle got his liver. Mickey Mantle and my friend were in about the same shape, but the celebrity got a liver and my friend was left to die a slow, painful death.

BTW, my brother is doing well. The kidney took, but the pancreas didn't, and a second pancreas transplant failed due to a staph infection.

JMHO,

Deb.

I have to echo the sentiment that it's just wrong for celebrities to receive organs while ordinary folk have to wait.....

I wonder if everyone who is hurrying to offer Mourning a kidney has also been entered in the bone marrow registry, so they might match someone who needs a bone marrow transplant, and carries a signed organ donor card in case they die. I sure hope so!

While I feel very sorry for Alonzo Mourning, as I do for anyone in his position, I don't think celebrities should get any preference for organs.

So, in answer to the hypothetical question: no, I wouldn't offer JB a kidney. In my family, there's a real possibility that a family member might need it. If I kick the bucket, JB gets the same shot at my kidneys as anyone else on the waiting list.....


Pssttttt....... Bone Marrow Registy Info:
http://www.marrow.org/DONOR/donor_information_idx.html

http://www.marrow.org/HELP/join_the_registry.html

I think I would give Jimmy a kidney, now a my liver that is another story.

Seriously I think that if someone wants to donate an organ to someone that has meant something special to them whether it is a movie star, singer, athlete or just a friend takes a lot of heart. I can totally respect and empathise with people who have loved ones going through this or have gone through this themselves and are upset. But if someone wanted to donate to someone close to you, wouldnt you want that to happen no matter what the circumstance of the compatible donor??

Dont mean to upset anyone, just one mans opinion and it doesn't mean much