UseTaHoop
Two years ago

Brett Wheeler’s health and Donate Life

Brett Wheeler aka "Wild Thing" AKA Wheels:

The last I read (on here) was that he was very ill and would possibly need a kidney (?) transplant.

I knew him as a junior, and and even babysat classes in a classroom he decorated with cartoons, while I was doing my first postgrad course and working as a casual relief teacher.

Is he still rolling on? Is he on transplant list or has he received his gift? He was always pretty shy and modest, and a bit introverted. If anyone on here knows him (or Jason) could they pass on this message. Could Isaac share my details if Wheels would like to touch base. I'm going to try to make it back to Adelaide in October this year.

Donate Life:

I’m in another state now, but I have received a gifted heart which has given me more time with my family. I’m a Donate Life Community Champions member in my closest state (I live just south of Qld).

The decision to become an organ donor is an altruistic one. We can’t take our physical organs with us when our time is up.

Heart and lung transplant matches are dependent upon blood type and size. I’m not sure about other organs such as kidneys, but it’s likely to be a factor (but not as critical) due to overall body size.

IFF body size is a factor, Wheels would need a gift from a larger donor due to his height. This is a basketball forum, so there would be a few taller folks here.

We also know that donors from younger men are much needed. Please young men (16-29) consider becoming an organ donor. If you’re involved in a club, consider contacting Donate Life at:

donate.life.gov.au

The Donate Life team get out in the community to educate people about the donation process and how to register.

I was a registered donor in SA from the time I got my licence. BUT you now need to register online:

donatelife.gov.au

Donate Life have cards, posters and other merch. The cards and posters have QR codes to take you straight to the site. The posters can go up in club rooms, the SA Donate Life Team would help with this and presentations to groups.

Please register so that part of you can live on. Talk about it with your family too, it makes it so much easier for them whenever the time comes.

Best wishes to all, and please think about this.

Topic #49943 | Report this topic

LoveBroker
Two years ago

I was a registered donor in SA from the time I got my licence. BUT you now need to register online:

Thanks for that I didn't know that.

I registered on my DL as well.

I had to convince the other half not to veto my organ donation as she had some insane notion that the doctors 'won't try as hard' to save your life if you are a donor.

Reply #889453 | Report this post

UseTaHoop
Two years ago

LoveBroker

The donation teams don't get involved the picture until it’s "cleared" ie family give consent. They’re also separate from the treatment teams. In my experience the Drs do everything possible to keep people alive even after the viability is incredibly low. They didn’t expect me to survive. Your SO has nothing to worry about. They treat donors as per any other surgery too. They don’t leave a mess, and treat your body respectfully and sew you back up just like any other patient. I’ve had my sternum opened 3 times, so my torso is a bit of a mess. Donors only have one surgery.

I know a kid who had a double lung transplant at 9 years of age. They were going to turn off life support the next day, but they got “the call” at night and he was airlifted from Brisbane’s Children’s Hospital to Melbourne. He went from being an organ donor to being saved by an organ donor.

If Wheels still needs a kidney, there is a “living donor” program in Australia. Living Donors have done some pretty physical things on one kidney. Walking Gold Coast to Kempsey and return to raise awareness (it was supposed to Beto Sydney but he turned around due to covid) about 900km. I hope Wheels is still rolling. He was quite an unassuming, shy kid but had a great sense of humour even then.

Reply #889618 | Report this post

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Brett Wheeler’s health and Donate Life

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