|
|
Article: `The Gift Of Life': How Donated Organs Can Save You Or A Loved One.
- Article from:
- Ebony
- Article date:
- July 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Johnson Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
FIFTEEN years ago Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White gave a fairly typical African-American response when faced with a request to donate a loved one's organs--"No way!"
Faced with the sudden death of a beloved brother, White says he was too devastated to respond positively to requests for organ donation. But when, several years later, an anonymous kidney donor gave his sister, Doris Ivy, a second chance at life, he became a convert.
Today as Illinois' first Black Secretary of State, White is one of the major leaders of a state and national campaign to increase the number of organ donors in general and the number of Black donors specifically.