UCSF Doctors, Grads, and Patients Speak Out for Immigrant Denied Kidney Transplant

UPDATE 2/10/12: Victory! University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has agreed to help Jesus Navarro develop a plan for long-term care needed to receive a life-saving kidney transplant, following a national outpouring of support that included more than 130,000 signatures on Jesus' viral petition -- as well as coverage on CNN, ABC, NBC, and more.
-

Late last week, Donald Kagan, who received a kidney transplant that saved his life, started a petition on Change.org. It was for another man fighting a battle to live and see his daughter grow up—Jesus Navarro. Navarro is an Oakland father who has waited six years for a transplant, has insurance to cover the cost of the surgery, and has a wife who hopes to donate her kidney. But UCSF Medical Center won’t perform the life-saving transplant for one reason: Jesus is undocumented.

UCSF argues that, as an undocumented immigrant, Navarro will not be able to afford future treatments, but his supporters argue otherwise and have lined up willing donors to aid him in his long-term care. Since Donald started his petition, tens of thousands have signed. His campaign for Jesus has been covered by ABC 7- San Francisco, CBS 5- SF, NBC Latino, and the Huffington Post. Everyone from doctors and nurses to the children of parents who faced kidney failure have expressed outrage that UCSF would let a man die on their watch simply because of his immigration status. Below is a sample of comments from Donald's viral petition:

I am a graduate of UCSF School of Medicine, Class of 1973. I am also a believer in the worth and dignity of every individual, without regard to race, religion, gender, national origin -- or status of documentation! Let's just move the case mentally for a moment to the Jim Crow south and see how the morality of it all plays out. Sometimes institutions need to step forward and do the right thing. UCSF may have just met that moment.

-Charles Torrey, Vashon, WA

I am a physician at UCSF. I love working here, but am sorely disappointed by this news. Health care is a human right for everyone. It's why I trained to be a physician.

-Phuoc Le, San Francisco, CA

Kidney failure is a painful way to die. I watched my dad suffer through it and cannot bear to imagine that a man like Jesus would be denied a kidney over a situation like this. It is immoral.

-Liana Morales, San Antonio, TX

Ethics are about what we do when people aren't looking. If this is what you are doing when thousands are looking, what does that say about your ethical standing? Please do the right thing.

-Jonathan Shorter, Vancouver, WA

I am a Kidney transplant recipient and had my transplant at UCSF 2 years ago. This man deserves the same opportunity I was given.

-Fermin Navarro, Tracy, CA

The money is there to pay for this? A donor is available? He has community support? I donated a kidney to an American citizen, a kind and loving man who has no marketable skills to help our country but makes life worth living for me. How can you deny this man LIFE? Do you support the Right to Life? Let Jesus live...this Jesus and the Jesus who compelled me to write this note.

-Mary Grace, Wolftown, VA

It is simply unconscionable to think that politics, money or a person's legal status would trump basic human rights and dignity. Bravo to Donald Kagan and everyone else taking a stand for doing the right thing.

-Gretchen Hayduk-Wroblewski, Glenwood Springs, CO

The ludicrous unfairness of this outrages me, and the simple possibility of correcting it inspires me. PLEASE: let him have his chance to live -- not just because he has all his expenses and options accounted for, but because he is a human being with many who love him. When one can save a life but decides not to do so, one is an executioner and, in the eyes of god, a murderer.

-Alice Smith Duncan, Canajoharie, NY

Join the tens of thousands of people who've already signed Donald Kagan’s petition demanding UCSF not let a man die because of his immigration status.

Photo Credit: Jose Gouleo