Can a transplant recipient be a organ/tissue/blood donor?

[AEHarmon]

Hi all- I was diagnosed VSAA June 1997 and was transfusion dependent, and tx with cyclosporine, Bactrim, nupogen until Oct when I recieved a Bone marrow transplant from my sister after high dose Cytoxan conditioning. My question is am I a candidate for organ and tissue donation? I was told early into my recovery that my high number of exposures to antibodies from the number of blood products I've recieved (68 units of products) I couldn't donate blood myself- but I am now going to be 14 years post transplant and with all advancements in medical science I am now wondering if I can at least be a organ/tissue/eye donor upon my passing?

[Neil Cuadra]

Hi AEHarmon. You have a very generous spirit to want to donate your organs.

I don't believe there are any medical restrictions on signing up to be an organ/tissue/eye donor in Ohio. The Ohio Donor Registry encourages everyone over age 15-1/2 to register. They say that even people who have had cancer are eligible to be organ donors if they have become cancer-free.

Organ donation specialists don't make the decisions about your medical conditions when you register. At time of death they look at your medical history and decide then what organs or tissues are suitable to go to those in need. It might be a factor if specific organs were damaged by a disease in the past; for example if you had graft-versus-host disease. Otherwise, I think your donations have a good chance of saving the lives of others.