A powerful series by journalist Anissa Durham, titled “On Borrowed Time,” exposes the systemic barriers Black Americans face in accessing organ transplants. Through deeply reported stories, the series reveals how racism, outdated medical practices, and policy decisions have created life-threatening disparities.
One article, “Is the Patient Black? Check this Box for Yes,” highlights how a race-based medical calculation long used by doctors prevented Black patients from qualifying for kidney transplants. This flawed formula, which factored race into kidney function estimates, effectively delayed or denied access to care for countless Black individuals.
In “The Cruelest Kind of Heartbreak,” Durham reports that Trump-era tax cuts are poised to make heart transplants even harder to obtain for Black patients. Many already struggle to maintain Medicaid coverage, and the cuts threaten to deepen the crisis.
The series also features “The Call That Saves a Life,” where eight Black transplant recipients share their emotional journeys. Their stories underscore the urgency of reform and the human cost of systemic inequities.
Dr. Clive O. Callender, profiled in “He’s a Legendary Transplant Surgeon,” has spent decades fighting racism in medicine and building a movement that has saved thousands of Black lives. His work is a testament to the power of advocacy and persistence.
“On Borrowed Time” is a call to action, urging healthcare systems and policymakers to dismantle the barriers that continue to put Black lives at risk.
See: “On Borrowed Time” (October 29, 2025)
