Steve Jobs Backs Organ Donor Registry Bill in California
"I was almost one of the ones that died waiting for a liver in California last year," said Jobs, whippet-thin but healthy. He appeared at a brief event with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to unveil a new legislative effort to greatly expand the number of California organ donors.
In his first public description of his much-rumored but long-secret crisis, Jobs said "there were simply not enough livers in California to go around, and my doctors here advised me to enroll in a transplant program in Memphis, where the supply-demand ratio of livers is more favorable than it is in California."
As a result of his experience, Jobs worked with California first lady Maria Shriver to spur Schwarzenegger's office to draft legislation that would require driver's license applicants in California to provide either a "yes" or "no" answer to a question regarding their placement on the state's organ donor registry before being issued a license. While applicants are currently offered the ability to add themselves to the registry through the Department of Motor Vehicles, a response is not required, and it appears that many applicants simply skip the question.
The bill also provides for the creation of a "California Living Donor Registry," which aims to connect those in need of a kidney transplant with compatible strangers who have signaled their willingness to donate one of their own kidneys.
A video of the event is available, with Jobs' comments beginning at the 13-minute mark.
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Wow, amazing. Yet another rich organ donee that didn't do anything to push organ transplants until they needed one. For more references, see David Crosby and Phil Lesh.
That's a very cynical way of looking at it. I'm sure many people who've received organs didn't push for it until they received one. Would you rather he say nothing at all?
Wow, amazing. Yet another rich organ donee that didn't do anything to push organ transplants until they needed one. For more references, see David Crosby and Phil Lesh.
He didn't have to do anything to push it afterwards either. These efforts have nothing to do with his own success story.
Certainly any person--rich or not--could do more good than they are doing. We are human beings and we all fall short somewhere. If someone realizes that they were falling short in some area and they decide to change, why should anyone sneer at that?
Wow, amazing. Yet another rich organ donee that didn't do anything to push organ transplants until they needed one. For more references, see David Crosby and Phil Lesh.
In all fairness, it's one of those causes it's easy to pay lip-service to until it directly affects you. I carry a Donor Card (a scheme in the UK), but I do little else (well, I give blood, but that's something else). However, were I or someone I'm close to need a transplant, I'd probably be much more involved.
Surely it's beneficial for everybody who needs a transplant when someone with the means to get involved to such an extent does so?
Wow, amazing. Yet another rich organ donee that didn't do anything to push organ transplants until they needed one. For more references, see David Crosby and Phil Lesh.
i normally don't bother with other ppl's post, but have you re-read what you typed?!
first off, minor point, but he's not the donee, he's the donor recipient.
2ndly, your comment about him not saying anything until he needed one is ridiculous - do you expect 'another rich' person to say something about every affliction or issue out there?
Gee, Steve Jobs didn't say anything about obesity until he really got fat or
hey, Steve Jobs didn't say anything about ebola until he got sick visiting Africa.
Oh my, Apple's stock crashed because of the Ipad and now he lost his home and he wants to talk about the homeless folks in America???
Do you expect him to say?!
I'm sure you don't walk around without speaking about other diseases or issues all the time do you? Not everyone can tackle everything.
But, in my mind, I think it's FANTASTIC that he's publicly backing this endeavour b/c he's using his 'another rich guy' status to raise awareness.
Like it or not, alot of ppl look up to him and they'll listen.
I could care less if it's organ donation or cancer or whatever - he could sit on his rich millions and not do a thing, but he's trying to make change.
You should never fault anyone of any status, for wanting to change or to help.
Good on him!
Wow, amazing. Yet another rich organ donee that didn't do anything to push organ transplants until they needed one. For more references, see David Crosby and Phil Lesh.
Most people don't do anything until it effects them personally. It doesn't matter if they are rich or poor. I don't know much about SJs charity work, but I'm sure he was doing plenty of it prior to needing a liver transplant even if it may not have been directly about organ donors.
Wow, amazing. Yet another rich organ donee that didn't do anything to push organ transplants until they needed one. For more references, see David Crosby and Phil Lesh.
Wow. Amazing. Yet another random dude on a website criticizing and judging another person without any personal insight whatsoever. For more references, peer into the looking glass.
How many causes have *you* not joined?
i normally don't bother with other ppl's post, but have you re-read what you typed?!
first off, minor point, but he's not the donee, he's the donor recipient.
2ndly, your comment about him not saying anything until he needed one is ridiculous - do you expect 'another rich' person to say something about every affliction or issue out there?
Gee, Steve Jobs didn't say anything about obesity until he really got fat or
hey, Steve Jobs didn't say anything about ebola until he got sick visiting Africa.
Oh my, Apple's stock crashed because of the Ipad and now he lost his home and he wants to talk about the homeless folks in America???
Do you expect him to say?!
I'm sure you don't walk around without speaking about other diseases or issues all the time do you? Not everyone can tackle everything.
But, in my mind, I think it's FANTASTIC that he's publicly backing this endeavour b/c he's using his 'another rich guy' status to raise awareness.
Like it or not, alot of ppl look up to him and they'll listen.
I could care less if it's organ donation or cancer or whatever - he could sit on his rich millions and not do a thing, but he's trying to make change.
You should never fault anyone of any status, for wanting to change or to help.
Good on him!
Bravo! iSync!
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