Skin Donation Why and How - Your Loss / Someone Else's Gain

[PrettyThick1 1,860]

We all know how being overweight has impacted our lives, one of the most hurtful is being judged by our appearance. People who have gone through traumas that affect their skin feel the same sting of judgement and rejection, if not worse than we do. If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford skin removal surgery, you can give a gift that will last a lifetime...even after you are gone, perhaps. Imagine a part of you that you didn't want in the first place going to an infant who hasn't yet tasted the sweetness of life, but must face a world who will judge them first by their appearance. This unwanted part of you can cover them...to me, it's a form of love and protection. Imagine that infant going on to live a meaningful life for decades after you have departed. A part of you lived on through a source outside of yourself and you didn't have to die first to make it so! A wonderful part of this equation is that it costs you nothing but it's priceless to the recipient. That in itself makes me want to give it away.

The following agencies can assist you with your decision and/or making your organ donation, please note: you will not be paid, but that's not the point anyway. Right?

Need a Reason to Donate?

Calculating the Value of Tissue Donation

NPR (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/17/156876476/calculating-the-value-of-human-tissue-donation

How to Donate Skin After Bariatric Surgery

Livestrong

http://www.livestrong.com/article/126643-donate-skin-after-bariatric-surgery/

Free Tummy Tuck - Donate Skin (Validity Not Verified)

Global Medical Service

http://globalsurgerycenterusa.com/free-tummy-tuck-donate-skin/

New York Organ Donor Network (FAQ's)

http://www.donatelifeny.org/about-donation/faq/

Collection Sources

United States

The University of Michigan

Trauma Burn Center

http://www.traumaburn.org/who/skinbank/faq.shtml

The University of Michigan

Transplantation and Donation (Transweb)

http://www.transweb.org/index.shtml

The mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.org/organ-donation/art-20047529

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

http://organdonor.gov/about/livedonation.html

Donate Life America

Tissue Donation from Living Donors

http://donatelife.net/understanding-donation/tissue-donation/

American Skin Association

http://www.americanskin.org/donate/

Skin Cancer Foundation

http://www.skincancer.org/giving

Shriner's Burn Center (Children only)

http://totalburncare.com/shrinepage.htm

American Transplant Foundation

http://www.americantransplantfoundation.org/about-transplant/living-donation/about-living-donation/

International

National Burn Center of West India

http://www.skindonation.in/about_us.html

Skin Donation and Skin Banking

Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital
and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Sion Mumbai

http://www.ltmgh.com/FrontView/inner.aspx?Mkey=ODYz&lKey=NA%3D%3D

Skin Donation and Skin Banking

Dr. Sunil Keswani, National Burns Centre, Airoli

http://www.slideshare.net/NationalBurnsCentre2000/skin-donation-and-skin-banking-by-dr-sunil-keswani-national-burns-centre-airoli

There are more, but for the sake of time this is all I can list. If you need more information or would like my assistance in finding a donation center near you, it will be my pleasure to assist. Simply message me, letting me know your city and state.

Have a great day all!

[PrettyThick1 1,860]

We all know how being overweight has impacted our lives, one of the most hurtful is being judged by our appearance. People who have gone through traumas that affect their skin feel the same sting of judgement and rejection, if not worse than we do. If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford skin removal surgery, you can give a gift that will last a lifetime...even after you are gone, perhaps. Imagine a part of you that you didn't want in the first place going to an infant who hasn't yet tasted the sweetness of life, but must face a world who will judge them first by their appearance. This unwanted part of you can cover them...to me, it's a form of love and protection. Imagine that infant going on to live a meaningful life for decades after you have departed. The biggest part of you lived on through a source outside of yourself and you didn't have to die first to make it so! (Your skin is your largest organ, true story). A wonderful part of this equation is that it costs you nothing but it's priceless to the recipient. That in itself makes me want to give it away.

The following agencies can assist you with your decision and/or making your organ donation, please note: you will not be paid, but that's not the point anyway. Right?

Need a Reason to Donate?

Calculating the Value of Tissue Donation

NPR (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/17/156876476/calculating-the-value-of-human-tissue-donation

How to Donate Skin After Bariatric Surgery

Livestrong

http://www.livestrong.com/article/126643-donate-skin-after-bariatric-surgery/

Free Tummy Tuck - Donate Skin (Validity Not Verified)

Global Medical Service

http://globalsurgerycenterusa.com/free-tummy-tuck-donate-skin/

New York Organ Donor Network (FAQ's)

http://www.donatelifeny.org/about-donation/faq/

Collection Sources

United States

The University of Michigan

Trauma Burn Center

http://www.traumaburn.org/who/skinbank/faq.shtml

The University of Michigan

Transplantation and Donation (Transweb)

http://www.transweb.org/index.shtml

The mayo Clinic

http://www.mayoclinic.org/organ-donation/art-20047529

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

http://organdonor.gov/about/livedonation.html

Donate Life America

Tissue Donation from Living Donors

http://donatelife.net/understanding-donation/tissue-donation/

American Skin Association

http://www.americanskin.org/donate/

Skin Cancer Foundation

http://www.skincancer.org/giving

Shriner's Burn Center (Children only)

http://totalburncare.com/shrinepage.htm

American Transplant Foundation

http://www.americantransplantfoundation.org/about-transplant/living-donation/about-living-donation/

International

National Burn Center of West India

http://www.skindonation.in/about_us.html

Skin Donation and Skin Banking

Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital
and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Sion Mumbai

http://www.ltmgh.com/FrontView/inner.aspx?Mkey=ODYz&lKey=NA%3D%3D

Skin Donation and Skin Banking

Dr. Sunil Keswani, National Burns Centre, Airoli

http://www.slideshare.net/NationalBurnsCentre2000/skin-donation-and-skin-banking-by-dr-sunil-keswani-national-burns-centre-airoli

There are more, but for the sake of time this is all I can list. If you need more information or would like my assistance in finding a donation center near you, it will be my pleasure to assist. Simply message me, letting me know your city and state.

Have a great day all!

Edited February 21, 2014 by PrettyThick1

[LessofApril 101]

this is great info! I'm not nearly ready to have the recon surgery but I know I will. I have been wondering if that skin could be helpful. I'm glad it can be.

[RockinGal 15]

God bless you for bringing up this topic! What an absolutely wonderful thing to do. You and I think much the same. If I can't use it be a blessing to those who need it. I am an organ donor already if there were to be accident or I passed away, this is just another way to pass forward a kindness that could go to multiple recipients. I have always wished I had the $ to be more philanthropic, by donating skin you can do something that cash alone can't.

The Lord works in strange ways, it may be part of the destiny planned for us in overcoming our weight loss obstacles. We know the sting of being ridiculed and made fun of, so what a perfect expression of showing love to those who need help than to give someone and their Family the happiness and joy we now feel.

Great post!!!!!!

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I don't think you were quite understanding the articles. They will not use skin from live people because they can't procure it fast enough to make sure it is healthy tissue. They will only use cadaver skin or from the dead so that they can harvest it and procure it immediately. During surgery and especially plastic surgery your skin is thrown in a pile with all the other skin for that day. No treatment center is going to take skin from a plastic surgeon when they don't know if it has been kept sterile or not. I have talked to many plastic surgeons and they said no they do not send skin for donation.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

The best thing you can do is be an organ donor on your license.

[Skywalker 170]

Great links, and that sounds like a brilliant idea! Just brilliant. A long time ago I used to donate plasma (I think they gave us $25 per donation or something) that went to benefit burn victims. I remember it was in high demand.

I worked in a hospital once and the person training me told me that they could "grow" skin, but that it was difficult and there was a shortage of it. Therefore, when a burn victim had burns all over their body, they would try to use the "grown" skin for the facial areas--where most people see--and use the less attractive netting for the other areas on the body.

Perhaps there are even some hospitals or patients that would be willing to pay for the cost of one person's skin removal so they could use it. It's really a great idea--fixing cosmetic issues for two people at once.

[Lumpy 18]

I would love to have some removed but can't afford it and really don't need it. I just know under my tripceps, between my thighs and my gut could be much tighter. It's not to gross looking. I would love to donate. I am a donor. I would do it now, if I know the surgery would go well. I'm scared that I'd regret it or get batch job. I had breast lift and looks like a doctor did one breast and a kid did the other. They are totally different and it sucks!!!