Having a Child to help save your sick child
@AmandaBarnhart (671)
Canada
November 28, 2008 10:43am CST
There is a book that a friend of mine read and she came to me with this question. One that I was actually stunned over and found myself in a very sticky predicament. She asked me if I were to have a child and that child got sick and needed say bone marrow or kidney sooner or later in order to survive. If there was enough time would I have another child just to help the sick child out? I was stunned and at first my response was yes because I would think as a mother I would do anything to help save my child. Then I let it stew a bit more. But what about the healthy child? I would love my children no matter what but I wouldn't want them to think I only had them to be a 'doner' to their brother or sister. I tossed this around in my head for the entire day. Even for the month and I still couldn't come up with a for sure answer. On one side your able to have both children. On the other hand your keeping your one child alive via their brother or sister. They healthy child has to endure pain and has to endure the fact that even though they aren't sick they will always 'serve' their brother or sister in some way.
It's a toss between moral issues. What would you say if you were faced with have another child to save the one you have. Or try to find a match via other means and if the child dies take peace in knowing you may have another one. This is gut wrenching to think about ever being put in this situation. I really don't' know what I would do until I was put in the position.
What are your takes on this topic?
3 responses
@grandpa_lash (5225)
• Australia
30 Nov 08
I vaguely remember seeing a TV show, an episode of something or other, or possibly even read it (not the book you have mentioned), on this exact issue. The second child became an organ bank, and the theme of the piece was the dehumanisation of the second child. I think I would consider this whole concept somewhat unethical. The mother/child bond surely must work with both children, and the idea of bringing into the world a child who you know in advance is going to suffer considerable pain in his/her life through the procedures needed for organ retrieval, with no say in the matter, is a bit horrific.
Come to think of it, it was a CSI program of some sort, maybe Grissom.
Lash
1 person likes this
@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
1 Dec 08
I think this has been done a couple of times as I remember a story about a little girl who ran away because she could not longer bear the pain of being her brother's bone marrow donor. It ended up being many operations over years and the pain is awful but the child felt that she was not loved for herself but seen only as an organ bank for her brother. I could not do that do a little child.
@chameleonsdream (1230)
• United States
30 Nov 08
I recall that one pretty clearly, actually. I remember thinking at the time that I didn't think I could do that - have a second child for no other reason than to be an organ/blood/tissue harvest site for my first child. I don't believe I have the right as a human being to give life to a child with a pre-determined purpose. I also can't imagine having to make the decision for one of my children to use them as an organ donor for their sibling. It just seems completely wrong to make that kind of decision for someone else, even for my own child.
@AmandaBarnhart (671)
• Canada
29 Nov 08
Say your child needs a kidney transplant. They will need a match and the best match for any child is via their siblings.
@chameleonsdream (1230)
• United States
30 Nov 08
The best chance for a perfect match for organ donation and bone marrow transplants is a full sibling, because the sibling gets half its chromosomes from each parent. A parent has only half the chance of matching the necessary blood and tissue type that a full sibling does.
@JohnnysWife (204)
• United States
28 Nov 08
Does this book happen to me My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult?
Anyway, I don't think I could morally have another child to save my first sick child. However, I do know that my future husband wants to donate the umbilicord blood to public storage facilities to anyone can use it for research or for health reasons. He is getting his PhD in cancer biology and feels very strongly about it.. and if it can save someones life i'm all for it :)
@AmandaBarnhart (671)
• Canada
28 Nov 08
Yes it is :) Thank you I forgot the name of it. That's great what your husband will be doing that I think I'm going to do that as well but stored for us incase we'll need it later for our children etc.
