Did you know that over 60% of the people waiting for a new organ are minorities? Or that one individual donor can heal over 75 people with just their tissue?  Minority organ donation statistics are surprising.  For example, nearly 20,000 people of color received organ donations in 2021. Just one-third of those organs came from minorities. In discussions about organ donation, the truth is often mirky. “I’d like to help, but it’s against my religion,” or “My body is too old.” These statements are not true. That’s why minorities should be concerned about organ donation myths. Let’s look at some of them, and get to the facts: My doctor won’t give me life-saving treatment if I sign up to be a donor.  Physicians and other healthcare professionals take the Hippocratic Oath to “first, do no harm.” This includes the lives of donors. Preservation of life is the whole reason that organ and body donation exist. My health isn’t good, so I can’t donate.  Very few medical conditions screen you out as a donor. Regardless of your overall health, certain organs may be healthy and a match to someone on the waiting list. I’m too old to donate. Doctors evaluate each potential donor on a case-by-case basis using strict criteria. There is no set age limit for organ or tissue donation. [...]

I remember my first therapy session like it was yesterday. It was a beautiful, sunny day. I was rushing over to the office after work, racing past people on Market Street like I was in the final lap at the Penn Relays. My mind was running its own race, perhaps swifter than my feet.  Jesse Owens on the ground, Usain Bolt between the ears. How would this person be? Would they relate to me? Would I allow myself to be vulnerable? For some reason, the warm smile of the security guard as I signed in to get onto the elevator – handing me a tissue to wipe my sweaty brow -- is a picture I can recall clearly, even so many years later. When I signed out about one hour later, I felt lighter, more than satisfied. And I pondering more questions. Why haven’t I looked into these issues before? Did I not think I was able to do so? What held me back? Those questions began a journey I hold very sacred.  A journey of family, of tradition, of values, and of culture. A culture I remember us discussing during one session – about holidays and what they’ve meant in the context of my family.  Juneteenth came up. Well, I raised it. They were familiar, but I had to [...]