Speak Out!
Waiting in Vain?
Sun, 08/05/2007 - 21:07 | Health
It has been widely reported—including in a Medical News TODAY article and a press release touting National Minority Donor Awareness Day—that there is a critical need of organ and tissue donations, particularly for people of color:
"There is a greater number of minorities who need organ transplants, but there is a lack of donors. We need more organs than anyone, but we are the last ones to donate them, especially in the African-American community. We are in the most need for kidney transplants, but we are the last to give them. I'm not sure if it's because of superstition, or religion or something else, but it needs to be fixed," stated [Dr. James W.] Reed.Why are people of color reluctant to donate organs/tissue that can help save lives?
How to Make Black America Better
Comments
I appreciate the response to
I appreciate the response to my posting.
I want to make clear that I am PRO life and hope that those in need of an organ are able to sustain their lives until they are able to locate a WILLING donor.
My concerns remain that a system of "HEALTH CARE" which is PROFIT driven and not driven to save lives and improve the medical condition of those it serves, will not do the right thing when my Life and its continuance are in the hands of the money changers.
I would like to see the Human organ donor system changed to permit the family of the Donor to receive financial compensation. Everyone in this organ donation system (Doctors and hospitals and insurance companies) gets financial compensation, but those family members and friends left behind.
Why would Black African Americans trust the medical community which has never been trustworthy in their dealings with or without health insurance?
It was recently reported that Black African Americans WITH health insurance are denied life-saving medical care and we know the sad story of those without access to the funds necessary to secure the sustained attention of the medical gatekeepers.
Continued.. So Steve find out
Continued..
So Steve find out as much as you can about becoming a donor... Education has changed my mind...
Dear Steve I can understand
Dear Steve
I can understand your concerns about being a donor but imagine this -what if you never make it to a hospital? Or look at it like this; put yourself in the place of someone needing an organ-believe me Steve reality reveals truth. If you were the Patient waiting on a organ I would not want to see you are even my worse enemy experience the pain that is associated with needing a transplant.
Before you rule out being a donor think about the gift you have that someone else needs.
I don't know much about profit for the hospitals but what I do know is that me and my son could not afford this operation with our pennies put together. This is a very costly operation...So in my son's case I really don't think profit was a factor. We thank God that we were able to get this transplantation done in the time we did.
Most of the transplants that were performed here at the VA-came from young people in car accidents, motorcycle accidents or some untimely death. Young and adult teens between the ages of sixteen to twenty three years of age have been that gift of life here at the VA hospital. These are kids that never knew what hit them-never had a chance for a second thought. The VA- sadly spoken, receives a lot more younger donors... These kids never make it alive to a hospital...
This is not a comment to sway you of anything-this is true reality that I have experienced.. Try visiting these websites: www.americatransplant.org, www.unos.org. Liver transplant is done within twenty to forty eight hours of taking it from one body to another... They also have the live donor liver transplant where a piece of your liver is taken to help regenerate someone else's liver. Not every patient can use a live donor- he/she may be too sick for a part of a donated healthy liver to support their stage of the disease. Kidneys, we have two of them so one can be given to someone else and a person can live off that one kidney. They also have split liver transplant-is divided into two parts and transplanted into two recipients.
I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON
I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON WHY I WON'T be an organ donor.
I believe that if you are listed as a source of revenue to a FOR PROFIT hospital that the calculation of your value in parts or whole is made as soon as you are brought in the door.
IF you are more valuable alive, then you will not be considered for the parts process called organ donation and I BELIEVE HAVE A INCREASED CHANCE OF MAKING IT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ALIVE.
IF you are more valuable TO THE HOSPITAL with your various organs sold to those with the means and money to pay for an operation that you neither the donor nor your family benefit from (a car chop shop operates on this principle) then there will be a sad-faced person speaking to the slim chances of survivability you face and how you can benefit others and if you have no insurance to pay for life-giving medicines and other hospital care, you will have nothing but your organs to give.
Maybe in the future the surviving family will receive a credit towards their medical care in exchange for allowing the plug to be pulled early on your next emergency trip to the ER.
Dear Tavis I want to share
Dear Tavis
I want to share with anyone that would listen about how important being a donor really is-especially my Black Communities... Thank you so much for bringing up the importance of being a donor. My story begins back in 1998 when my only son Edrick entered the military (ARMY). Edrick was the picture of good health -a young black male entering into a world of adventures with many opportunities in store for him. Little did we know that during his service in the military-life for my family would change. It wasn’t until he was required to take the Anthrax Vaccine that his health would be placed in jeopardy. I never knew the importance of being a donor until life experience made me aware of it.
My son was given an honorable discharge without service connection (we are still fighting the government). But after his release in 2001, I watched my son go from being okay to near death. His pigmentation was altered into a yellowish tone. His eyes were of a dark golden brown-which is considered jaundice. His pain level was unmanageable; he had topped out with medications that could help his pain. Not only that -keeping food down was another obstacle and the fluid build up was massive. He would build up so much fluid in his abdomen that he would have a fluid drainage on a weekly basis.
Talk about education-I have had to learn awareness of my son's condition in order to become a caretaker for him. Transplants are a gift of life; anyone can be a donor and you are so right Tavis we need more education on becoming a donor.
I have watched many people here at the VA hospital wait in agony on someone to give them the gift of life. Some of them are holding on by the grace of God while others cross over while waiting. It is a sad and hurtful feeling to see so many people in need with little organs available. I know the ignorance that I carried before my experience but not anymore. It is crucial that the black community educate themselves on being a donor. Don’t let your family member be at death's door before you realize how important being a donor is.
This has truly been a defining moment for me. I watched the process from beginning to end. I watched my sons MELD (Model for End –Stage Liver Disease) scores get higher. The numerical numbers could range anywhere from six (less ill) to forty (gravely ill). My son was at thirty eight. These Meld scores determine who will get the organ first-it’s the younger and sickest first and the older and sickest last). This is how the system measures who gets the organ first. You are given blood tests weekly and your medical records go before the board for review and after that they will either put you on the list at that time or you will have to wait to get on the list in the future-it all depends on your MELD scores.
Once you are placed on the list it depends on whether you receive a live matching donor or someone who has passed away –it all boils down to waiting. Waiting is very stressful due to the lack of donors. Once a match is found (by blood type) it is then sent to a lab immediately for further observation. The liver, kidney, heart has to be in good condition before it can be used in the transplant. If you have superstitions about being a donor whatever the reason may be-get more information on how you can become the gift of life to someone else. It’s important! It’s the greatest gift ever LIFE!
Now my son has a chance at life again because someone gave him that gift. My son has come back to life-it'was like watching a withered flower bloom again and nothing in this world brings me more joy than to see him laugh and call me momma again… It brings tears to my eyes… THANK YOU GOD FOR YOUR FAVOR!
Thanks Tavis this is a subject close to my heart…