Jamaica Hospital speeds up organ donor matching system
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Mom Nadine Morsi wrote a children's book with her daughter Kinsey to share their journey to a new kidney.
Photo courtesy of LiveOnNY
By Rachel Vick
A new digital system at Jamaica Hospital will help patients on the organ donation waitlist connect with transplants faster than ever before by transferring patient records in real time.
By cutting out the middleman — hospital staff making calls to organ-procurement organizations like LiveOnNY — iReferral cuts down on precious time needed to maintain the viability of organs.
"We have to use technology in a smarter way," said Helen Irving, president and CEO of LiveOnNY. "The technology is there. We just need to build the interface."
The speed could make all the difference for recipients like Bayside resident Kinsey Saleh, who received a kidney six years ago.
Saleh was lucky to find a donor after just four months on dialysis, said her mom, Nadine Morsi. Morsi’s tireless work started a donor chain that gave new life to 12 strangers thanks to the donor she had enlisted in case the first was not compatible.
After a successful transplant, Saleh and Morsi wrote a children’s book, “Kinsey’s Kidney Adventure,” sharing their journey and jumping into advocacy work, like speaking engagements and even a PSA with other recipients for Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“I knew something like [a storybook] would be useful for other families,” Morsi said. “Even if it inspires just one person, it makes it worth it.”
Now in seventh grade, Saleh has been able to take charge of her advocacy. Though she continues to tell her story in her own way, raising awareness through casual conversations about her condition, the focus is on living life as a normal kid — exactly what you want after a transplant, said Morsi.
“She wouldn’t be able to do this without somebody’s help and we think about that every day,” Morsi said. “That’s why we wanted to pay it forward — it’s our way of saying thank you, because how do you even thank someone for something like this?”
“It’s such a giving selfless thing,” she added.
Saleh marked the six year anniversary of her transplant a little differently this past May. Like many others with special occasions this year, with COVID-19 in full swing, the immunosuppressed tween was still able to celebrate — just on a smaller scale.
When elective surgeries were put on hold at the height of the pandemic, most of those on organ waitlists had to wait a little longer to protect against increasing the risk of infection. Transplant candidates typically take immunosuppressants to limit the risk of organ rejection.
The number of both donors and transplants has increased steadily over the past five years and is up 55 percent from 2015, according to LiveOnNY. Despite the extreme circumstances, organ donor registration efforts have continued throughout the past year, though below the organization’s targets.
Many families are able to find comfort in the fact that though their loved ones are gone, they have the potential to save lives, said according to Ali McSherry, spokesperson for LiveOnNY.
Morsi continues to fight against the stigmas around organ donation, like the misleading idea that religions are against donations, and trying to inspire participation before it’s too late.
“It’s the ultimate gift, but isn't something anyone really thinks about,” she said. “Nobody wants to think about death, and I think people should be more comfortable with that topic so humanity can be served the way it should — it’s about the bigger picture.”
