Letter: New Yorkers can do better on organ donation
Doctors perform kidney-transplant surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington in June 2016. Credit: AP / Molly Riley
Two of your news stories — “A gift of one’s self,” on Jan. 6, and “Kranepool still awaits a kidney donor,” on Jan. 10 — contrasted current issues with organ donation.
The first story, about Rabbi Ephraim Simon of New Jersey donating part of his liver to a Long Island man, highlighted the plight of thousands of New Yorkers waiting for organs. Simon, who had previously donated a kidney, is a true man of God who practices what he preaches; he should be commended.
I am a nephrologist who has cared for hundreds of patients on dialysis and others awaiting pre-emptive renal transplants, so this article hit home.
The other article, about former baseball player Ed Kranepool’s long wait for a kidney, was a clear juxtaposition. Diabetes caused his kidneys to fail and has meant the loss of toes on his left foot.
Unfortunately, our progressive New York State is either last or second to last of the 50 states in the number of signed-up organ donors, depending on the year of the statistic. This very poor pool leads to one of the longest waiting lists in the nation for various organs. In addition, the transplantation rate in New York is second-to-last for kidneys.
These articles should be a wake-up call to all New Yorkers! Every reader should check his or her driver’s license to see whether he or she is a donor. In addition, if a family member needs an organ, relatives should get evaluated if they believe they’re healthy. Those without a driver’s license can sign up through many organizations: Live-On-NY, Eye Bank, etc., or go to the state website donatelife.ny.gov.
Dr. Lionel U. Mailloux, Manhasset
Editor’s note: The writer is a clinical professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
