WRITTEN BY AYANA JONES Philadelphia TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
Cynthia London has channeled the tragic circumstances of her son’s death into saving lives.
When London’s 22-year old son, Sipho was declared brain dead after a shooting incident in March 1997, she decided to donate his organs.
“Once we realized that he wasn’t going to recover, I reflected back on doing something good because it was such a waste. Sipho was a healthy, young man, full of life – a very kind and forgiving person,” London says.
“At the time I didn’t know what my donation would mean. I didn’t know how many lives it would save.”
By donating Sipho’s organs, six lives were saved immediately including a 65-year old man who received his heart.
Sipho, whose name means “gift of hope,” was an education major at Kutztown University.
London says the decision to donate Sipho’s organs allows his legacy to live on.
“This allows us to have a legacy for Sipho in terms of every time we can talk about him this is instilling his legacy, which is a good thing. This also adds a second story to a very tragic situation,” says London, who is a Philadelphia native.
By working with the Gift of Life Donor Program, London often shares the story of Sipho’s legacy when she speaks at schools and churches about the importance or organ donation. She attends the National Kidney Foundation’s U.S. Transplant Games and volunteers at various events such as Gift of Life’s annual Dash for Organ and Donor Awareness. This year’s dash will be held April 17.
“The more I got involved in working with the Gift of Life I realized that it wasn’t about us. It was about the people who are waiting and so that’s why I continue to advocate for organ and tissue donation and that’s why I go out of my way to talk to people of color,” London said, noting that a large number of African Americans are awaiting organs.
“We have to do all that we can for those who are waiting. Nineteen people die daily because they are waiting and that is something that we can work on. We tell people don’t take your organs to heaven because we need them here,” says London.
London shares her story at a time when nearly 7,900 people in Pennsylvania are awaiting an organ transplant. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, African Americans represent 52.7 percent of all Pennsylvanians waiting more than five years for a kidney transplant. In Pennsylvania, African Americans represented 11.9 percent of deceased donors and 11.6 percent of living donors from Jan 1, 1988 through Sept. 30, 2010.
When families like the Londons make the decision to donate, others have a second chance at life.
Alex Johnson of Middlesex, N.J. is an example of someone who has been given another chance at life due to an organ donor.
When he was 14 months old, Johnson underwent a liver transplant at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, for a rare, life-threatening condition known as biliary atresia, where the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent. The condition causes bile to be trapped in the liver, which eventually leads to liver failure.
Now Johnson is active 15-year old teenager who plays basketball and is a member of the Boy Scouts. Other than being prone to colds due to taking immunosuppressive medications so that his body does not reject the transplanted liver, Johnson is a relatively healthy young man,
Alex’s father, Ralph Johnson says his son now understands the impact of being an organ recipient.
“He didn’t fully grasp the situation. As he got older he realized that he was different. He realized that he had a liver transplant,” said Ralph Johnson.
“It really didn’t have a real impact until he started going to the Transplant Games and seeing other kids his age with transplants and realizing how important it is that he had been given a second chance at life.”
Johnson says now his son wants to do more work with the Gift of Life Donor Program. Ralph Johnson and his wife routinely encourage their colleagues and friends to become organ donors.
“I think a lot of it is just building awareness. It’s amazing how many lives can be saved through organ donation,” said Ralph Johnson.
One donor has the ability to impact over 50 lives. Individuals can register as an organ donor when receiving or renewing their driver’s license at Pennsylvania driver’s license and photo centers.
For information about signing up to become an organ donor visit www.donatelife-pa.org.
When London’s 22-year old son, Sipho was declared brain dead after a shooting incident in March 1997, she decided to donate his organs.
“Once we realized that he wasn’t going to recover, I reflected back on doing something good because it was such a waste. Sipho was a healthy, young man, full of life – a very kind and forgiving person,” London says.
“At the time I didn’t know what my donation would mean. I didn’t know how many lives it would save.”
By donating Sipho’s organs, six lives were saved immediately including a 65-year old man who received his heart.
Sipho, whose name means “gift of hope,” was an education major at Kutztown University.
London says the decision to donate Sipho’s organs allows his legacy to live on.
“This allows us to have a legacy for Sipho in terms of every time we can talk about him this is instilling his legacy, which is a good thing. This also adds a second story to a very tragic situation,” says London, who is a Philadelphia native.
By working with the Gift of Life Donor Program, London often shares the story of Sipho’s legacy when she speaks at schools and churches about the importance or organ donation. She attends the National Kidney Foundation’s U.S. Transplant Games and volunteers at various events such as Gift of Life’s annual Dash for Organ and Donor Awareness. This year’s dash will be held April 17.
“The more I got involved in working with the Gift of Life I realized that it wasn’t about us. It was about the people who are waiting and so that’s why I continue to advocate for organ and tissue donation and that’s why I go out of my way to talk to people of color,” London said, noting that a large number of African Americans are awaiting organs.
“We have to do all that we can for those who are waiting. Nineteen people die daily because they are waiting and that is something that we can work on. We tell people don’t take your organs to heaven because we need them here,” says London.
London shares her story at a time when nearly 7,900 people in Pennsylvania are awaiting an organ transplant. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, African Americans represent 52.7 percent of all Pennsylvanians waiting more than five years for a kidney transplant. In Pennsylvania, African Americans represented 11.9 percent of deceased donors and 11.6 percent of living donors from Jan 1, 1988 through Sept. 30, 2010.
When families like the Londons make the decision to donate, others have a second chance at life.
Alex Johnson of Middlesex, N.J. is an example of someone who has been given another chance at life due to an organ donor.
When he was 14 months old, Johnson underwent a liver transplant at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, for a rare, life-threatening condition known as biliary atresia, where the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent. The condition causes bile to be trapped in the liver, which eventually leads to liver failure.
Now Johnson is active 15-year old teenager who plays basketball and is a member of the Boy Scouts. Other than being prone to colds due to taking immunosuppressive medications so that his body does not reject the transplanted liver, Johnson is a relatively healthy young man,
Alex’s father, Ralph Johnson says his son now understands the impact of being an organ recipient.
“He didn’t fully grasp the situation. As he got older he realized that he was different. He realized that he had a liver transplant,” said Ralph Johnson.
“It really didn’t have a real impact until he started going to the Transplant Games and seeing other kids his age with transplants and realizing how important it is that he had been given a second chance at life.”
Johnson says now his son wants to do more work with the Gift of Life Donor Program. Ralph Johnson and his wife routinely encourage their colleagues and friends to become organ donors.
“I think a lot of it is just building awareness. It’s amazing how many lives can be saved through organ donation,” said Ralph Johnson.
One donor has the ability to impact over 50 lives. Individuals can register as an organ donor when receiving or renewing their driver’s license at Pennsylvania driver’s license and photo centers.
For information about signing up to become an organ donor visit www.donatelife-pa.org.
0 COMMENTS:
Post a Comment