Marvin Gaye 3rd - One Of 95K Americans Who NEEDS A Kidney Transplant

[N'Zinga Shani]

Marvin Gaye III Needs a Kidney Transplant | News | BET

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Like many young African American males, Marvin Gaye the 3^rd, son of the late pop idol, is on kidney dialysis three times weekly because his kidneys no longer work to filter the waste from his body.  AAs make up 13 percent of the US population, but 35 percent of those on the national waiting list for a kidney transplant. This is not a topic on which we (health educators) can often get the attention of a broad cross-section of the African American Community.  Why is that?  Knowledge is POWER! A large percentage of the risk factors that lead to kidney failure (high blood pressure is a main one) can be avoided; however, unless people learn how to do that, nothing will change.  In a large number of cases, we the people can  improve the quality of our lives;  we can save ourselves a great deal of suffering and needless stress on our families, if we simply take the time to learn and to apply what we learn.

High blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are three of the most chronic and debilitating diseases ravishing our communities. Each of these health problems has a list of other concomitant problems that tax our well-being and put unnecessary burdens on families.  There is a great deal we can do to alleviate some of the problems.  Let us learn how and let us strive to take better care of ourselves so that we can live more healthy, productive and enjoyable lives with our children and  families. Kidney dialysis works, but it extracts a significant toll in so many respects.  Many of those who are waiting for a kidney transplant will never get one; there are not enough donated kidneys to meet the need.

Learn more about the National Waiting List, criteria for donation, and other relevant information from the national organization called UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing) and others listed at:

UNOS | Donation & Transplantation | Data www.unos.org/donation/index.php?topic=data‎

You may also learn more here:

Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network: OPTN - optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/‎

The OPTN is operated under contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS

Organ Donation Data/Statistics - The Office of Minority Health - OMH

minorityhealth.hhs.gov › ... › Health Topics › Organ and Tissue Donation‎

 

Marvin Gaye III Makes Public Plea for Match to ... - EURweb.com

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Oct 7, 2013 - Marvin experienced renal failure about three years ago,” says his wife, Wendy, “and he has been undergoing dialysis three days a week since.”

"African-Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics/Latinos are three times more likely than Caucasians to suffer from end-stage renal disease, often as the result of high blood pressure and other conditions that can damage the kidneys," reports the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Almost 35 percent of the more than 95,000 people on the national waiting list for a kidney transplant are African-American."

You may also visit the Health Literacy section of our OneWorld web site at: http://oneworldpi.org/health/organ_donation.html to learn more about minority donation. Meet two people who have had kidney transplants; one was over 14 years ago; the other was less than two years; they are both doing well.  Hear their story on OneWorld's "21st Century Conversations' here: http://youtu.be/wIhwmtuQBaA  African-AmericanTransplant recipient tells his story.