Idea for new merit badge... "Donor Awareness"

[RWSmith]

April is Donor Awareness month. I bring this up because I'm certain (even with all the PR) not many people are aware of it. My daughter at the age of 21 went into ALF (Acute Liver Failure) and was given 48 hours to live if she did not get a transplant. She had no prior medical condition and was in perfect health. The point is it could happen to anyone. Five years later (now) she is leading a normal life and ready to earn her Master's degree in social work. She felt she needed to give back and switched careers to help others.

So why do I bring this up? Too many people on the transplant waiting list die because there are not enough donors out there. BSA does have a Donor Awareness Patch (which I am thankful for) but I believe strongly (and many scouters support this) that a merit badge will accomplish many things. Most importantly it will HELP SAVE LIFES. It will EDUCATE scouts in the subject of donors and transplantation in general. It will help clear up all the myths surrounding this subject. It will BRING awareness to different communities all over the country.

I am a district advancement chair and will be working with my local scout executive to fill out the required applications and forms but wanted to get input from others on this. As for requirements I already have a long list that needs to be reviewed but any suggestions would be appreciated. Your thoughts please.[/color][/color]

[FrankJ]

I could see this as an requirement in a merit badge. But it I do not see how it could be one all by itself. Would you call it the Organ Donor merit badge?

[flywitheagles]

The proposed name would be Donor Awareness, not sure if the word organ should be in there. There will be about 8-10 requirements to earn the badge, still reviewing them with some other scouters and members of the transplant community.

[smtroop168]

Nice idea...long uphill battle IMHO

This is from Paul Wolf's site:


You shouldn't expect a speedy reply. BSA receives more than 400 merit badge suggestions each year, and they typically don't act upon any of them for at least a year or two. The staff goes through the merit badge suggestions and recommends merit badges they feel appropriate; once the concept is approved, it goes to the Editorial Service to coordinate and compose the actual merit badge requirements and pamphlet contents, usually in conjunction with an outside organization appropriate to the subject. The entire process can take about three to five years. On the other hand, if there are a lot of Scouts and Scouters that feel that this deserves a chance (by writing to National in support of the new merit badge) the process can go a little faster. Hope this helps out!

The former Director of Boy Scout Advancement once gave these criteria for new merit badges:

The new MBs need to promote a hobby or career interest and promote the aims of Scouting.
When submitting an idea, you need to include the rationale behind the idea, as well as potential sample requirements for the badge.
Nearly all of the ideas for new badges are turned down for one reason or another, very few get tabled for consideration. Among the main reasons for this.
It takes around $75,000 or more to introduce a new MB due to creating the badges themselves, printing of pamphlets, and updating and printing of the Requirement book.


You can also post your idea on the below web site and see what reaction you get.

http://ideas.scouting.org/

[flywitheagles]

Thanks for the reality check. I do understand that it is VERY challenging to get a new badge approved but I am up for that challenge. It all comes down to dollars and cents some time, I wonder if I can get a sponsor to help off set the costs to speed up the approval process. Just wondering.

[Cowboy]

I have thought long and hard about this one and my opinion is:
First, there is a lot of promotion already for donors. Every "medical" show that you watch on TV (ie. House) deals with the rarity of donors. Second, at least in Wisconsin, when you get a drivers license you are required to check a box either for or against donating organs. I can see this as Community service project or even as a requirement in some way for another MB, maybe one of the medical based ones. I do not see it as an actual MB. I also think that something like this is just about DOA from the stand point that if BSA were to create this one they would deluged with "special interest" items like Breast Cancel Awareness or Alzheimers Awareness. I am not making fun of any of these issues, but just think that if any of this type of issue is specifically addressed as a MB it will open a door that no one wants to have to deal with.

[flywitheagles]

You bring up a good point about the BSA getting bombarded with other causes. It could actually be a reason they might not approve it. I understand about 400 different suggestions are made each year and they only approve maybe one or two. It also comes down to money. I also found out it cots about $75,000 to completely implement a new badge.

[Fibonacci]

Glad to hear that your daughter received the Gift of Life in time. My daughter was transplanted at 19 months and is a Junior in college now. We love new livers!

[flywitheagles]

Yes, we both have much to be thankful for.