A lot of African Americans who are looking for a new kidney now have new hope.
A test that tells people where they stand on a transplant waiting list is incorrect. The news will have a big effect on people who are waiting for the gift of life.
Helena Fields, a special education teacher from the suburbs, was about to lose her kidneys a few months ago, but then she heard some news that changed her life. She got a kidney transplant after moving up on the list.
Fields said, “Yes, I was thrilled.”
Fields was moved up on the list for a kidney donation after being on it for six years. This was because of a change in how African American kidney function was judged. Fields said that the truth of the situation made her less happy.
I believe we should do more to fix these unfair situations and see all people as equals, especially when it comes to health care.
“I was just shocked part of me of course was grateful they were fixing it, but still it was very annoying to know that this exists,” he said.
eGFR, a key blood test for kidney function, used to take race into account when giving its results, which put African Americans at a higher risk and further down the line. The American Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation worked together on a task group that found that the method was not good.
The race of the person has now been taken out of the test. Because of this, the donation list got shorter for more than 14,000 African American patients across the country. In Illinois, 1,200 African American people need a kidney donation.
The National Kidney Foundation of Illinois has Monica Fox as its Senior Director for Outreach.
“People do think, ‘Is this real?'” Fox said. “Many people didn’t know it existed.”
She said that the suggestion to change the formula was made two years ago. As healthcare systems start to use the new formula, they are hearing more and more from shocked patients who find out they have moved up on the donation list.
“It seems ridiculous to think that it existed for as long as it did, but when you think of the history of our country and everything that goes with that it’s not surprising,” he said.
“I’m glad to see more African Americans getting the kidney transplants they need,” Fields said. “But I think of all the people who died needlessly while waiting for a kidney,” she added.
“I think we need to work more on trying to fix these inequalities and just consider us as one human race especially when it comes to health care,” said Fields.
