RIP Rodney

[bigfish1965]

A good friend of mine passed away last week. Rodney Pentland was an actor/comedian originally from Niagara and transplanted to Toronto.

He had suffered kidney failure and was on dialysis waiting for a donor kidney that never came. Many of his friends offered to donate a kidney but none were suitable matches..I could not because of my previous cancer treatment.

Rodney was 40 when he died.

Please sign your organ donor card. Wherever you are going when you die, you won't need them there.

Tell your wife, family, next of kin, whoever..of your desire to donate your organs should you pass away. This makes the decision for them easy should the need arise.

Going to miss you, Rod.

[Fisherman]

Great point Rick, keep my card right behind my DL.

[huey graphite]

I learned of this last week. Although I had only met him on a few occasssions, we had numerous friends in common. Saw him last fall and was surprised and disappointed to here he was ill.

Edited March 17, 2009 by huey graphite

[Bernie]

Sorry about your friend Rick.

 

I have always been an advocate of being an organ donor. It's a way of helping out others in need.

Be a blood donor too if you can.

Only a couple more donations of blood for me and it will be the 50th.

[cranks bait]

I am sorry for your loss Rick.

 

My donors card was signed before my licence. I have signed everything off. If I can help I will. I wish I could convince my parents to sign theres. And yes I have it over writen that they cannot stop my donation.

[irishfield]

Sorry for your loss Rick... Donor card being signed is a no brainer in this family ! I have someone needing a pair of lungs here..

[The Urban Fisherman]

Sorry to hear man! It's such a shame when you hear of things like that. I don't understand why anybody wouldn't be willing to donate their organs. My cousin died at 40 from a brain anurism, a sad day for us, especially his kids, but by donating his organs, other families now have their loved ones at home with them today. It just doesn't make sense to me why anybody would refuse to save a life.

[BUSTER]

sad news rick sorry to hear, my father had a kidney transplant 1 year anniversary in sept 08, unfortunately it took a young lady to loose her life in order for my father to continue. we really need more organ donation in ontario. please look at a loved one in the eyes and say you want to be an organ donor if you were to perish. they may have the final say.

[lew]

Sad news about your bud Rick and sorry to hear it, and even sadder to think that a donated kidney could have helped him. Hopefully your post will inspire a few of our members to sign their donor cards who haven't already.

 

Everyone in my family signed theirs years ago, including my son and when he was killed 4 years ago, it helped ease the pain knowing that he'd been so generous and that many people could have better lives because he signed his card.

 

It's so easy to do, yet it can help so many others when the time comes.

[ccmtcanada]

Wow Rick...very sorry to hear this news...

[JohnF]

Sorry to hear man! It's such a shame when you hear of things like that. I don't understand why anybody wouldn't be willing to donate their organs. My cousin died at 40 from a brain anurism, a sad day for us, especially his kids, but by donating his organs, other families now have their loved ones at home with them today. It just doesn't make sense to me why anybody would refuse to save a life.

 

When our 18 year old was killed in the car accident we honoured his wish that his organs be donated. The hardest part was that the doctors kept referring to it as organ harvesting. Made it sound too impersonal somehow, but later we were glad it was done. We heard about how many people were helped and we knew Steve would have been proud. In hindsight it would have been terrible to waste the organs of a strong healthy young man when there are so many people needing them and us having the technology to do the transplants. It's definitely a win/win thing, albeit damned hard at the time. It occurred to me much later that a little bit of Steve was still alive, even if we didn't know where. There was even comfort in that.

 

JF

[RuNnYoOzE]

sorry for your loss, my wife has severe kidney disease also. 1 way to look at it and its the oldest saying in the book but "hes not suffering anymore. Many days left until the final countdown but none of us can put a time period on it. Live life catch lots of fish and send a shout out to Rodney when you catch a big 1 and you never know he might be listening!

Edited March 17, 2009 by fishinFanatic69

[trapshooter]

I've always signed mine since I first got my drivers license 16 years ago.

 

My father was fortunate enough to receive a new heart from a donor in July 2007. An organ donor saved his life.

 

Sorry to hear about your friend Rick.

[Guest steel'n'esox]

Very sorry to hear of your friend Rick, My donar card has been signed for over 25 years, and its still amazing at the statistics of the numbers of people who still do not participate in that wonderfull gift of extending someones life.

[Ranger22]

In Pa. you can become a organ donor when you renew your drivers licence. It is printed on your licence that you are a donor so if something happens the authorities know right away. I have been a donor for about 12 years.

[smokin joe]

Sorry to hear about the lose of your friend, Rick. I've always been an organ donor. Before losing a niece to bone cancer at a very young age, I've always felt it was the way to be. And I have to tell you that seeing her go was not pleasant, however she was always high spirited and used to tell everyone that someday there will be a cure And I like to think she was right.

[motv8tr]

Rick, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, that is never easy. It's commendable that so many have signed their donor cards and have advised your family of your wishes to help those in need. I wonder if you are aware that you can also be a living donor if the need arises. A person can donate one kidney, one liver lobe and one lung, now as far as the lung goes, that's rare and it requires two people as those in need of a new lung require two...so ya that's tricky.

 

Maureen

[Mattones]

To be honest. before reading this thread i never gave this much thought. I didn't sign when I was 16. But everytime this topic has came up I tought more about it and the many people it could help.

 

When I renew my DL i think i will sign it and tell the family.

[bigbuck]

Rick, sorry to hear about the loss of your good friend. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Signing your organ donor card is one of the most selfless things you can do. You won't need them when YOU are dead but SOMEONE ELSE needs them to stay alive.

Sign your organ donor card.