Docking the undocumented: (im)migrant transplants and treatment
Once again, the news dispenses a bevy of stories about undocumented immigrants facing bleak circumstances in their fight for transplantation and treatment. In a cross-post with Access Denied, I’ve discussed at length questions of equitable organ allocation and the added challenges undocumented immigrants like Jesus Navarro face in financing a transplant and post-operative treatment. That … Read more
Cords that bind: Umbilical transplantation and transnationalism
Sarah Ping Nie Jones’s new film Umbilical Cords explores the fraught transnational relationships between six women–three mother-daughter pairs. They criss-cross all over the globe, but their stories all intersect in South Africa. The title alludes to the cord that biologically links us to our mothers, but also more broadly asks how we intertwine inextricably, how we … Read more
Conceptions of Reciprocity: The Navarro transplant case, organ allocation and undocumented immigrants
The following piece was prepared for the blog AccessDenied: A Conversation on Unauthorized Im/migration and Health and is cross-posted here with permission. Organ donors give the gift of life, but the sheer volume of patients hoping for transplants far outstrips donor generosity. How should we make decisions to ensure the equitable distribution of a limited … Read more
What Do Zombies and Actor Steven Yeun Have in Common? Organ Donation!
by Claire de Louraille and Emily Avera If you have not heard of AMC network’s The Walking Dead I’ll be fairly impressed since it’s the most watched basic cable drama in television history. With an 8.1 million viewers for the Season 2 premiere, it’s not a television show to dismiss. For the uninitiated, The Walking … Read more
Ay Masakit! Donor outreach and the Filipino ouch factor
There are many misconceptions within the Filipino American community on the subject of bone marrow/adult stem cell donation. Within the Filipino American community there is an idea that bone marrow donation is an extremely painful procedure. This concept of pain might explain why there are only 57,000 Filipino Americans registered bone marrow/stem cell donors, according … Read more
TransplantInformers Book Club: Medicine In Translation
Well, half the work is done for me in our latest literary treat. Medicine In Translation: Journeys with my Patients is a fantastic memoir from Dr. Danielle Ofri, a physician at Bellevue Hospital in New York. And it already has a book club guide. I became interested in Dr. Ofri’s work after reading her recent … Read more
News Roundup #8: African American activity, Transplant quick test, Salvadorean transnational transplant, Nigerian blood donation
Goodies to combat Black history month withdrawal As Black history month wound to a close yesterday, we give wanted you a few news tidbits on the African American angle. Here at TransplantInformers, we’re no strangers to recognizing disparities that affect black communities. First up, a feature on Dr. Velma Scantlebury, the first Black woman to … Read more
News Roundup #2: Access Points in Hawai‘i, and a few other items
Hawai‘i is not just a tropical paradise destination. Many people don’t realize that it faces some big health care challenges. Recent closure of the two Hawaiian hospitals means either starting a new transplant program or depending on the mainland. Local news reports. These issues were also outlined and foretold in a 2008 article in the Hawai‘i Medical … Read more
