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Need for organ and tissue donors greater than ever; waiting list grows

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Many people believe that emergency room doctors will not work as hard to save the life of an organ and tissue donor, which is also untrue. Doctors who work to save lives are not the same doctors involved with organ donation, and organ donation will be considered only after every attempt has been made to save your life.

Published

5 years ago

April 18, 2019

Oakland Post

By Aisling Mäki, Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Angela Gordon had no known health issues when she ended up in the emergency room with an unbearable headache. It was there that she discovered she had hereditary hypertension. And although she was just 19 years old, her blood pressure had reached stroke level. What shocked her most was learning that her kidneys had already developed scars and she would eventually need a kidney transplant.

In 2006, she underwent a procedure at the Methodist Transplant Institute to receive the kidney of a donor who had died in a car wreck. Gordon’s body later rejected the organ and, three years ago this month, she underwent a second kidney transplant. Thanks to medical advancements in recent years, she is doing well. She is alive today because two people made the decision to donate their organs.

Gordon has since become an ambassador for the Mid-South Transplant Foundation (MSTF), educating the public about her experience as a two-time organ recipient.

“MSTF is wonderful because they showed me I wasn’t the only one dealing with the emotions I had around the fact that someone had to lose their life in order to save mine,” she said. “They let me know that was the wish of the donor, to help somebody, and that there’s no need to feel guilty. It meant a lot just to have a group there who understood and to know there are a lot of other people like me.”

According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, there are 113,697 on the national waiting list, and 94,913 are waiting for a kidney. More than 4,000 Mid-Southerners are awaiting organ and tissue donation, and 2,000 of them are African Americans waiting for kidneys. This is due in part to the significant prevalence of high blood pressure and diabetes in the Mid-South community.

However, despite the need, many people are still not registering to become organ and tissue donors.

“Even though so many of us have people in our family who have high blood pressure and diabetes and may need transplants, still, not enough of us choose to donate our organs to save lives,” Gordon said. “One person can save up to 50 lives with their tissue and organs, and many more lives because you touch the families of people’s loved ones who are waiting. We can do something about it.”

According to MSTP, it’s often a lack of knowledge, lack of trust of the medical profession, and a number of common myths that prevent people from registering as organ and tissue donors.

For example, some believe there are costs associated with donation, which is false. The donor’s family pays nothing for the cost of donation. All costs related to the donation of organs and tissues are paid by the recipient, usually through insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.

Some people believe their religion doesn’t support donation, when, in fact, all major religions support organ and tissue donation and see it as a final act of love and generosity toward others by giving the ultimate gift of life.

Another persistent myth people believe is that no one will want their organs and tissues because of their age or medical history. However, age and most medical conditions do not exclude you from being a suitable organ and tissue donor. There are very few rule-outs, and due to medical advancements, those few may even change over time.

Many people believe that emergency room doctors will not work as hard to save the life of an organ and tissue donor, which is also untrue. Doctors who work to save lives are not the same doctors involved with organ donation, and organ donation will be considered only after every attempt has been made to save your life.

MSTF ambassadors like Gordon are working hard to educate the community about the facts of donation and transplantation by visiting churches, colleges, high schools, civic groups, health awareness events and workplace partner events. And that education seems to be having an impact; In 2018, the number of transplants was on the rise.

“I feel it’s due to increased education,” said Randa Lipman, MSTF Community Outreach Manager. “However, the needs are still so great in our community. Every 10 minutes, another person is added to the waiting list, and 22 people die each day because the organs they need are not donated in time.”

Registering is easy. Simply check “yes” to be an organ and tissue donor every time you renew your driver’s license or state I.D, or register online; the MSTF website has a link to state registries where you can update your wishes at any time.

Friday, April 12 is Blue and Green Day 901. The Big River Crossing and Hernando de Soto Bridge will be lit blue and green for organ and tissue donor awareness. Shelby County School employees and students will wear blue and green, city and county governments will decorate their offices and wear blue and green, and an exciting surprise will be in store for the public at Overton Square at 6 p.m. Learn more about Blue and Green Day 901 at www.midsouthtransplant.org.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.