Michigan Matters: Of Organ Donations & Keeping Kidneys Healthier
Southfield (CW50) - Over 2,500 people in our state are awaiting organ transplants, which Dorrie Dils, CEO of the Gift of Life Michigan – an organization celebrating its 50th anniversary of connecting donors, those in need of a transplant and the medical community -- talked about as she explained the importance of people signing up to be an organ donor.
Currently, 58 percent of people in Michigan have signed up to be an organ donor – most when renewing their driver's license she said on CBS 62's "Michigan Matters" which airs 8 a.m. A donor can potentially change the lives of eight people she told Carol Cain, Senior Producer/Host.
Then Dr. Terra DeFoe, Senior Advisor to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, appeared and told Cain she has been working with Gift of Life as her family has been impacted by donors. Her 24-year-old son, Emilio, died unexpectantly of a heart attack. He had signed up to be a donor when he was 18. Dr. DeFoe supported his decision and his body was donated.
She has history of organ donors. Patricia DeFoe, Dr. DeFoe's grandmother, had had a cornea transplant thanks to a donor and is doing well today.
Dr. DeFoe talked about people of color being in greater need of organ transplants, yet, they are more reticent to signing up to be donor. She is working to raise the conversation.
Then Linda Smith-Wheelock, President /CEO-National Kidney Foundation of Michigan, appeared to talk about a health crisis as too many people have kidney disease. Over one million people in our state have kidney problems – yet most don't know it.
Smith-Wheelock discussed a new program they recently launched with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to help prevent chronic kidney disease.
And Dr. Silas Norman, Transplant Nephrologist at the University of Michigan who works with the Kidney Foundation of Michigan and the Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP) talked about the importance of kidney health.
He explained diabetes and heart issues are sometimes precursors to having kidney problems.
He raised health issues minorities have with diabetes and heart disease and how people can improve their health through things like diet, food and more.
Watch Michigan Matters, Sunday at 8am on CBS 62
