I recently had a discussion with a family member following the Brian Williams special the other night regarding paying people to donate bone marrow or stem cells. I believe there are so many issues not addressed and could be improved upon:
1. Why not offer to pay individuals to donate? If it could make more transplants possible through more donations and save more lives? We pay for surregacy, sperm, platelets, blood, plasma, etc.
2. I believe not informing potential donors of the possible side effects of donating and not educating them upfront of the responsibilities and seriousness of registering is doing all a disservice. "Its just a swab to register" or its just like donating blood"
(The show said that 50% of all potential donors when contacted to donate, back out. I understand They can back out up to the moment they begin the process.) One woman on the show said her brother died, when the donor backed out 10 days prior to transplant.
3. A representative for Be The Match, said they had 9 and a half million potential donors on file and did not need more, so no need to look into a reimbusement program.( But if we still have people needing transplants and not getting them, we obviously don't have enough matches).
4. Another family member questioned, why not ask at the hospital,when a woman gives birth, if she would be willing to donate a portion of the umibical cord/placenta for a future transplant for a person in need of a transplant and could benefit from a cord transplant? Also in addition why not make the saving and storing of your child's more available and affordable for future family use, if necessary?