Steve Jobs Backs Organ Donor Registry Bill in California

MacRumors · Mar 22, 2010

The San Jose Mercury News last Friday reported that Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a rare public appearance alongside California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to promote a new bill in that state to encourage drivers to sign up as organ donors, drawing on his own experience with a liver transplant he received last year in Memphis, Tennessee as motivation for his support.

"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."

Jobs noted that he had been fortunate enough to access to a private plane and the resources to be ferried to Memphis within the brief window of time available once a matching donor liver became available, and that California residents of all income levels should have greater access to donor organs in their own state.

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.

Article Link: Steve Jobs Backs Organ Donor Registry Bill in California

japanime · Mar 22, 2010

Nice gesture by Steve.

PBG4 Dude · Mar 22, 2010

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.

Redgiemental · Mar 22, 2010

A worthy cause in my opinion, nice to see Steve still be so passionate bout it even after his own health problem has been taken care of.

nwcs · Mar 22, 2010

PBG4 Dude said:
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?

tk421 · Mar 22, 2010

PBG4 Dude said:
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?

displaced · Mar 22, 2010

PBG4 Dude said:
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?

Keebler · Mar 22, 2010

PBG4 Dude said:
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!

mdatwood · Mar 22, 2010

PBG4 Dude said:
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.

gilkisson · Mar 22, 2010

PBG4 Dude said:
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?

Kimovitzh · Mar 22, 2010

Keebler said:
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!

Plas00 · Mar 22, 2010

Really?? He did??

Shocking, now can we move on to real MAC/Apple RUMORS?

I mean if Steve Jobs dies then fair enough post it as it will affect MAC products but for all I care next week he can decide on promoting organic food or even pay for organ transplants himself but I don't see how that changes Mac products, so please Macrumors be objective and don't get lost in just ANY news that might brush on anything vaguely related to mac rumors just because Mr Jobs is involved.

AlmostThere · Mar 22, 2010

displaced said:
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)

That's all you need to do; it is not just lip-service. If everyone made this simple gesture, there wouldn't be a shortage of organs.

eawmp1 · Mar 22, 2010

Whatever motivates you, just sign up to be an organ donor! If someone else could live because of a body part you no longer need, why not donate? I've seen too many suffer/die because of lack of donor organs.

OBTW - donate blood, too. It's good for you.

creator2456 · Mar 22, 2010

On the whole organ donor thing, everyone should be automatically put on a list after they reach 18. If they want off it, that is when action is needed. Don't give us the choice to not do something that can save countless lives with no effect on us.

RalfTheDog · Mar 22, 2010

I gave an organ to a church music department once. It was an electronic one, but the sound was quite good.

dukebound85 · Mar 22, 2010

creator2456 said:
On the whole organ donor thing, everyone should be automatically put on a list after they reach 18. If they want off it, that is when action is needed. Don't give us the choice to not do something that can save countless lives with no effect on us.

that would never happen

it's each individual choice to OPT in. You can't have the default choice to be an organ donor as it is not the state's organs to say yes initially in the first place

farmboy · Mar 22, 2010

eawmp1 said:
Whatever motivates you, just sign up to be an organ donor! If someone else could live because of a body part you no longer need, why not donate? I've seen too many suffer/die because of lack of donor organs.

OBTW - donate blood, too. It's good for you.

+1. And make sure your family members are on board with your decision, because in the real world the donor procurement people will almost never override the decision of the surviving family members (for or against), regardless of what's on the donor's driver's license. Even tho a donor declaration is presumed to be a clear statement of intent, abiding by the family's decision avoids subsequent nasty legal battles for the hospitals.

0098386 · Mar 22, 2010

RalfTheDog said:
I gave an organ to a church music department once. It was an electronic one, but the sound was quite good.

Similarly I was given an electric organ by my cousins hair salon.

danielwsmithee · Mar 22, 2010

creator2456 said:
On the whole organ donor thing, everyone should be automatically put on a list after they reach 18. If they want off it, that is when action is needed. Don't give us the choice to not do something that can save countless lives with no effect on us.

I agree completely. Here in Colorado it is a separate yes or no question. It should default to yes, and require a special separate form for NO.

javaGuru · Mar 22, 2010

It's kind of funny seeing Jobs sitting there in his black shirt and jeans while the others are dressed up in suits etc. Made me laugh a little.

danielwsmithee · Mar 22, 2010

dukebound85 said:
that would never happen

it's each individual choice to OPT in. You can't have the default choice to be an organ donor as it is not the state's organs to say yes initially in the first place

A simple change in the law, or if necessary the constitution would solve that. I really don't see the problem as long as you make it possible to opt out for those with religious or other concerns.

dukebound85 · Mar 22, 2010

danielwsmithee said:
A simple change in the law, or if necessary the constitution would solve that. I really don't see the problem as long as you make it possible to opt out for those with religious or other concerns.

How can the state claim what isn't theirs without the consent of the owner?

The only logical stance is that people should choose to opt in as it is, afterall, their organs no? Why you advocate for the state claiming them without consent initially is actually kinda scary imo. Last i had checked, the government does not own my body so why should they get the defualt claim on my organs without my choosing to donate them?

But you are right, we could make laws to make ANYTHING legal

I think this law, forcing everyone to at least acknowledge the question, is as invasive as it needs to be concerning this issue so for that I support it as it asks point blank, yes or no.

Why some here are advocating for special opt out forms with a default to yes vs a simple forced acknowledgement (such as this law) is slightly disturbing to me

Full of Win · Mar 22, 2010

Will Steve Jobs be donating free/at cost use of his private jet to those in California wanting to go to the Southern states to get organs? Just curious.

nagromme · Mar 22, 2010

Why didnt he support this bill before he had his transplant???

Well... probably because the bill is happening now, not then

Good for Jobs.

(P.S., Im a life-long gut-giver, with a nifty logo on my license. If I croak, scoop away!)

Steve Jobs Backs Organ Donor Registry Bill in California

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