Published in News

Facebook used to find organ donors

by on26 July 2010


Wasting time, but saving lives
It appears that Facebook has allowed quite a few people to find suitable organ donors and greately improve the quality of their lives, or even save their lives.

A 53-year-old woman battling kidney failure used facebook to search for an organ donor, after being unable to find a new kidney for 8 years. She eventually received more than 200 responses and found a donor.

According to Fox News, her story is not an unusual one. Dozens of patients have sought and found help via Facebook. It is estimated that around 84,000 Americans are waiting for kidney transplants and medical experts believe Facebook is quite an effective medium for locating organ donors.

With more than 500 million users Facebook surely has the potential for such unorthodox and humane applications. However, it's worth noting that the massive social network could eventually be used for somewhat less noble practices, including illicit organ trade.

More here.
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