Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: As things increase, because that's how we end up with end stage organ failure, to, you know, to not be.
I guess, not be afraid about that, you know, and that we recognize health disparities. And that's why we must always elevate the conversations and have them and know our family history, because that makes a difference, too.
[00:00:22] Speaker B: It makes a huge difference. All right, so I'm going to need you to speak a little bit louder.
[00:00:28] Speaker A: Okay. I was just being. Okay.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Okay. Oh, that's perfect. There you are. That's perfect.
[00:00:34] Speaker A: All right.
[00:00:37] Speaker B: Three, two, one.
I am so excited because I get a chance to talk to Ramona Chapman.
Where you been?
[00:00:47] Speaker A: Good morning. Good morning.
I have been around. I have been around. You know, there have been, you know, as the young people would say, life has been lifeing. But I'm here. I'm here.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: Life has been lifeing. I was approached to talk about gift of life, and I said, well, am I talking to Ramona? And so she said, yeah. I was like, well, come on, come on.
[00:01:12] Speaker A: Yeah. When she told me that, I was like, I know her.
[00:01:15] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah. We have been working together on this effort for a long time. And as a matter of fact, you are the reason why I have the little heart on my license.
[00:01:26] Speaker A: Wow. Wow.
[00:01:28] Speaker B: Because when we did the gospel concerts and I was presented with the facts of donation.
Organ donation. Tissue donation, and how prevalent people in the church and in the black community are, like, no, no, no, I'm not gonna do that. I wanted to be the change. If I had to be the change.
[00:01:54] Speaker A: Yeah. I think you have definitely been a change agent. Like you said, you have emceed our songs of saving Lives concert. You have done different things with our walk. You have used your voice to elevate this message about the importance of organ and tissue donation, and especially in the faith community, a place where we really need to make sure that the message and the word is getting out that, you know, it says, you know, scripture tells us we, you know, we perish because of lack of knowledge. And so what you have done is you have helped us to get that knowledge out there and to make a change. And especially in the african american community, as we're celebrating national minority donor awareness month, that the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, especially when we don't make changes, lead to end stage organ failure and kidney disease. And so, therefore, when we can address making sure that people are trying to stay healthy as long as possible, but when those organs fail and they need those kidneys, that's what we want to make sure that we have those organs available to give them.
[00:02:57] Speaker B: Yeah. And it's so hard sometimes. You know, I've seen one person comes to mind right now is on the owner, the donor list. Yes. And right now undergoing dialysis three times a week.
[00:03:14] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:03:15] Speaker B: It's hard to watch when a person doesn't know if that they're gonna get that call.
[00:03:21] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:03:22] Speaker B: And will it be the right match? And if we had more people who were understanding how prevalent it is in our community, they'd be more willing to have that little heart on their license and be able to, you know, to get with gift of life.
[00:03:38] Speaker A: And I think so. I think, as you said, that, you know, what we want to do and what we continue to do each and every day is we educate people. We give them hope.
And when you don't understand that a person is going to being on a machine three days a week, four or 5 hours, it interrupts their whole life. In case if they want to go out of town, they have to contact and make sure that there's a dialysis center that's available or if they're doing it at home every night, peritoneal dialysis is making a difference. And so I think that as we've had more people talk about that, about how chronic kidney disease impacts our communities, to talk about the realities of dialysis, to talk about that transplantation gives them a better quality of life. And I think that when we continue to get that message out, be it in community, be it in our faith places, it makes a difference.
[00:04:34] Speaker B: It definitely does. I've actually seen it work, you know, up close and personal with people that I love, and they're still here to tell the story.
[00:04:45] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:04:46] Speaker B: And so, for me, that is the other reason why, you know, beating the drum is very important to me. What else can a person do to become involved with gift of life or just become more educated?
[00:05:03] Speaker A: Well, we have a wonderful opportunity. They can definitely visit our website, ww dot golm.org. we have. They can volunteer with us. We have a number of events throughout the state of Michigan. We have wonderful different events in the city of Detroit.
You know, we always do our motel life walk, and that's another way for people to get involved. And so they can, you know, call us. We'll come to their churches. There are places of work, there are places of worship, and we'll talk to them about organ and tissue donation. In fact, we'll even come to their family reunions and talk to them, because I think that those are the people that we're gonna be talking to.
[00:05:45] Speaker B: I love that idea. Because they're there.
[00:05:47] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:05:48] Speaker B: And family members, we know about uncle so and so that had to have his leg removed and all this kind of stuff. We know those people personally. Why not educate yourself so that it doesn't continue through the family line?
[00:06:03] Speaker A: I think that's very, very important. That's one of the things that I think that we always have been very conscious of is, again, making sure that we're having those family discussions. So even when you sign up on the Michigan Oregon donor registry and you get the little red Heart emblem on your license, tell your family, don't be ashamed. Let them know that you have made a decision that you want to help others and save the lives of others after your life is transformed from its physical form to another form. And so I think that that's something that we can constantly do and talk about.
[00:06:35] Speaker B: Can we just shift gears real quick and then we'll wrap it up?
Give me some myths that we hear all the time that need to stop.
[00:06:47] Speaker A: Okay. I think the first one that needs to stop is that the hospital will not try to save your lives and that we are chasing ambulances. No, we are nothing that the hospital will do any and everything to save a person's life. The gift of life. Michigan is not called until a person has been declared brain dead. And so, therefore, we are not a part of that. And so physicians are there to save your lives. And so we want to get that message out that that is what they're there to do. I think another one is that, you know that people's faith does not support organ and tissue donation. We know that that is not true, that our faith community looks at organ and tissue donation as an act of love and charity that is there. I think also thinking that people that are rich will get your organs or things of that nature, that once again, that the system is colorblind. And so, therefore, when that information comes into unos, all that is used is people's medical information, and that is people's blood types, their HLA antigens, and that organs are matched that way. And I think that that's one of the things. But I also know that the biggest reason still has been is that people have not connected end stage organ failure with diabetes and hypertension and how that makes a difference. So I think that coming into community, having conversation in small groups, will definitely help to make a difference. And having people ask all those questions and thoughts that they are just, you know, thinking about and might feel like, I don't wanna say that. No, say that. Say it. Say that. Because until you say it, because somebody else is probably thinking that, too.
[00:08:29] Speaker B: Right.
[00:08:30] Speaker A: And so when we can dispel those things and let people know that organ and tissue donation is a part of the healthcare continuum that gives life still, when our lives are transformed from one form to another.
[00:08:42] Speaker B: Ooh. Amen. Well, thank you, Ramona. Thank you for coming by. It is such a pleasure to see you again. And you as well, and to talk about this gift of life and how people can become a part of this. And again, give them the website, www.goldm.org. all right. I appreciate your time. And I love you, you know that.
[00:09:05] Speaker A: Love you as well. Thank you.
