There’s no federal mandate to wear a mask. So how do I convince you to have empathy for others?
I first saw the post on social media sometime in the summer of 2019.
An article, written by the wife of a man in end stage renal failure, had a heart-wrenching request: Her husband was barely surviving on daily dialysis treatments, and with all other options exhausted, they were relying on a miracle, for someone to step forward as a possible live donor to save his life.
If I am being completely transparent, I didn’t think of this couple again until late November of that year, when my step-father was admitted to the ICU in septic shock. He had contracted an infection in his spine, and nearly died on the operating room table. Twice. He would remain on a ventilator for weeks, recovering in the hospital for a grueling five months.
And so I thought about this stranger in need of a kidney, and it finally clicked: If I didn’t step forward as a potential donor, who would? What if it were me, or my loved one? Would I not throw a request such as this out into the universe and hope someone hears my plea?
Of course I would.
There are approximately 112,000 men, women and children on the national transplant waiting list, and tragically, 20 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant. A majority of the transplants come from deceased donors, which means the recipient may wait several years on a list until one becomes available. Living donors are emphatically preferred because they enable the transplant process to move along much more quickly; a recipient may only wait a few months when a possible living donor becomes available. Additionally, living donor organs, such as the kidney, usually have greater longevity than if the recipient received the organ from a deceased donor. Live donor recipients face less risk of organ rejection. We also assume that blood relatives are naturally befitting, but frequently they are not, placing all faith in the presumption that a Good Samaritan will do his or her part and get tested.
I was first tested in December to determine if our blood types matched, and by the end of February 2020 I was cleared as a live kidney donor. The surgery was scheduled for early March, but then delayed, and halted all together when the WHO declared Covid-19 a global pandemic. In fact, most U.S. hospitals postponed all elective surgeries, and although a kidney transplant is life saving for the recipient, it’s technically considered elective for the donor, and thus, does not take precedence over remaining in lockdown.
Organ transplants have plummeted as a result of the pandemic. Most hospitals are now rescheduling, but what lies ahead is still unknown. With new spikes in virus cases, the U.S. is failing in containing this virus. Governors are now pausing or reversing their previous reopening steps. Former CDC director, Dr. Tom Frieden, has warned that this is “just the tip of the iceberg of even more spread”. Our healthcare systems are becoming inundated, which could ultimately stop these elective live donor surgeries, leaving hundreds of thousands waiting, once again, to receive a life saving organ.
With no federal mandate regarding face masks, state and local governments are left to make the decision on their own, and many states are not requiring it. With just mere recommendations in place, many Americans are choosing not to wear one.
We know that masks help quell the spread. New research suggests that if 80% of Americans wore a mask, “it would do more to reduce COVID-19 than a strict lockdown.” Specifically, the U.S. could avoid another 33,000 deaths by October 1st, if 95% of Americans committed to wearing masks.
Wearing a mask should not be a political issue. The virus and who it affects isn’t partisan. Even the President’s own administration is showing support (finally) for the CDC’s evidence in face mask effectiveness. With almost 130,000 U.S deaths, Vice President Pence explicitly stated that Americans should wear a mask and social distance when able to help stop the spread. According to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, “the window is closing” for us to regain control.
Yes, we all want things to go back to “normal”, and the economy plays a vital role in restoring normalcy. But what is the economy worth if more that 200,000 Americans are dead before the fall?
In fact, Forbes is now reporting “a national mask mandate would slow the growth rate of new coronavirus infections and prevent a 5% GDP loss caused by additional lockdown measures,” according to Goldman Sachs analysts.
Covid-19 is still relatively new, and even top infectious disease scientists don’t know its long term impact. But right now, without a vaccine, some effort to slow the spread should be shared by the rest of us.
I can’t help but think about the live donor process and the months of endless testing I endured. The 24-hour urine test I had to take twice. The CT scans and echocardiograms and X-rays and getting injected with iodine. My physical and mental aptness was questioned and challenged, not just by the medical team, but by my own friends and family as well. Those closest to me who thought I was crazy for donating an organ to a stranger.
It was disheartening at times. But it wasn’t about me. It was about the recipient, this man, and his wife, who were relying on someone else to help save his life.
It’s still not about me. When the hospital gives us the green light, I will show up for this transplant surgery. For now, we wait, and hope that Americans will listen to the scientists. Here in Philadelphia, city officials have postponed entering our “green phase” due to rising Covid-19 cases. And Dr. Fauci, testifying in front of Congress, has warned that cases could reach 100,000 a day if we don’t start following the guidelines.
Wearing a mask and social distancing isn’t just about you. It’s about protecting others. Protecting the most vulnerable Americans. The elderly. The immunocompromised. It’s about getting our country back and controlling this virus.
In an article from the Atlanta Jewish Times, Rabbi Mayer Freedman touches on his experience as a live kidney donor. For him, the decision to donate was an obvious one. “It’s trivial on my part and lifesaving to someone else.” He continues, “You don’t have to jump in a river to save someone. You might drown. But if the chances of drowning are slim, it’s a mitzvah to save a life.”
My plea to humanity is this: The United States, undeniably overwhelmed by Covid-19, is drowning. Put on a mask and save a life.
