If You Needed A Black Heart Would You Take It?

If You Needed A Black Heart Would You Take It?
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If you needed a black heart would you take it? Ask that question to a person waiting on a heart transplant list or a transplant list for any kind of organ,eye,or tissue donation.I would put my bet on the line that 99.9% could care less.All they really want to know is that organ healthy and will it truly enhance their new life as their old life is ended.Their biggest concern after that maybe rejection and medication but not what race,gender,or religion the gift of life came from.

As a full time volunteer for organ donation and womens’ heart health issues I have never had to ask that question to anyone. In fact I think the question is inappropriate but sometimes you have to meet your audience at a special place called their level to make your point.Fortunately I have never had to stoop to this point ever but felt it was necessary to be heard concisely.

The story begins over one year ago when I met a lady at a local community event.I was tabling as we call it. Participating at a event with a table full of free information in the form of literature handouts and promo items.This lady approached me and asked me what I was doing there.I explained I was providing organ donor educational materials;answering any questions;addressing reservations;and ultimately hoping to sign up some new donors to give hope to those out there waiting.I explained to her that I was on the heart transplant list for two years and had spent what could have been my final 104 days of life waiting in a transplant center in a bed weighing 95lbs. unable to even ambulate down a 20 foot hallway.

She seemed to be listening attentively but I could never be prepared for what was to come out of her mouth next.She first asked who the picture of the young serviceman was on my table.I explained to her it was a picture of my organ donor who had gifted me his beautiful heart and that I take it everywhere I go since receiving it as a gift from his family on Oprah Winfreys Show.She blurted out of her mouth “Well hes White”.Of course I’m now in shock but very curious as to what made her say that so I engaged.”Of course hes white”She said how do you feel with a white heart.I didn’t even answer that and next she said “You met his family on Oprah?How do his parents feel about YOU having his heart? Loud and Proud I said I think they are very proud I have his heart because they know I will spend the rest of my life honoring him in the best way I know how by signing up more donors so people waiting don’t suffer like I did with 5 years of illness and 2 years on some list.

Why did I think the ignorance would stop there?The next thing that came out of her mouth was.I myself would never get a transplant because its against my religion and as quick as I wanted to go there to say saving lives isn’t against anybodies religion. I didn’t go there because I never question anyone’s faith no matter how I feel.Its there faith not mine but I did ask her if her kids needed a transplant would she take the organ that could save their lives.She said she may consider it but she would prefer they not have a black organ.Since she obviously needed education on the subject I took my time to explain that organs don’t come with colors they only come to the sickest of the sick and if her kids needed a organ she would not be consulted on the race of that organ nor should she.These are life giving gifts so precious that people die waiting for them.

Feeling the need to have the last word and illustrate my point I broke it down to her explaining the gifts my donor gave.I told her my donor gave life to a 7 year old Hispanic girl with one kidney;a 18 year old black teenager with his other kidney;a 42 year old Jewish man with his double lungs;a 62 year old Chinese man with his liver;and a fierce ass black women with his beautiful heart.I went on to explain in case she didn’t really get it that all of us were different ages,genders,and even religions but none of us cared who stepped up to be our heroes. We hugged and cried when we had the honor to meet our donor family that day and we knew the blessing our Gods gave us and the honor it was to carry all those “White Parts” I think she got it that day as she quietly stepped away from the table but obviously shes learned nothing as just two days ago she found me at a table in the mall this time and told me I guess you don’t have to feel guilty your donors dead.Shes Disgusting!!

I write this to share the fact that sometimes you cannot remain silent to ignorance because although this person may never learn how her thoughts poison her life and possibly her family too, her ignorance may help others learn there’s no place for race in a lot of conversations and this certainly is one of those places.So thanks to all my friends in and out of the transplant community for encouraging me to write this it was your disgusted reactions that made me know I wasn’t the only enraged one.DONATE LIFE in any color its the right thing to do!

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