Being an organ donor is no small feat. It’s an incredibly generous decision that affects not just the giver but also the recipient. It’s not something that can be decided on a whim and requires careful consideration.
Unfortunately, this is not what two parents did when their kid was sick. Instead of asking for help, a teen’s mom and his stepdad demanded he be a donor for his stepsibling. They didn’t want to help him out in any way, but expected him to make such a big sacrifice. He realized they didn’t care about him at all.
More info: Reddit
Nobody should coerce a person into being an organ donor, as it’s an incredibly life-changing decision
Image credits: zinkevych / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster’s mom and dad had gotten divorced when he was younger, so he was in his mother’s custody until she met and married another man named Dale
Image credits: bialasiewicz / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster’s mom had to move for Dale’s job, so she left her kid with his dad and grandma, promising to come back, but she never did
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The teen later learned he had a stepsibling who was ill and needed a donor, which his mom and Dale assumed he would be, without concern for his future
Image credits: Possible-Ice4460
The poster agreed to get tested only if his mom and stepdad covered his tuition, but they refused, so he told them he didn’t care if his stepsibling lived or not
Right from the start, it seems like the teen’s mom had only been present in his life until she connected with her new husband. She had taken custody of the boy, but once she met and married Dale, she decided to move for his job, leaving her son behind. For years, they did not have much contact, and the OP just lived with his dad and grandma.
When families become blended, it’s important for the adults to actively connect with all of the young children in their care. Some kids shouldn’t be favored over others because this can create jealousy and insecurity in their developing minds. This is exactly what the mom and stepdad did because once they had a kid together, they focused all their attention on him.
The poster was forgotten by his mom and stepdad, and was not involved in their life at all. It was only until they needed help with their child’s health that they reached out to him. They expected him to get tested to see if he would be a viable donor for their kid, and didn’t care whether he had any hesitations about it.
It is very important to note that to be a living donor, a person must be at least 18 years of age, or 21 in some states. Teens who are younger need to get parental or adult permission first. Donors also need to know the risks and benefits of going through with the procedure, and need to make an informed decision.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The OP was concerned that his ability as an athlete would be affected, thereby causing problems with his athletic scholarship. Instead, he decided that if he were to help out his sibling, his mom and stepdad should cover his tuition so that he didn’t have to worry about paying for his education.
In most cases, very athletic people who’ve been donors have been able to go back to their active life around six months after the procedure. Michael Koetting, an extreme athlete who was a kidney donor, stated that it had minimal impact on his fitness, and that he was able to race again soon after.
The teen, though, knew that he might never be a professional athlete, but he had only that pathway with which to afford his education. Therefore, his proposal would have been a win-win situation where his mom and stepdad could rest easy knowing that their kid would be safe.
The parents turned down his proposal and expected him to be an organ donor with “no conditions.” When he heard this, the teen realized that they didn’t care about his well-being at all and were just obsessed with the other kid. So, he put his foot down and harshly told them that he wouldn’t be a donor.
Do you think the OP handled this situation well, or do you feel he could have done things differently? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Netizens sided with the teen and told him to focus on his future rather than trying to help family that didn’t care about him
