In this episode, I speak with Reverend Steven T. Robinson—Founder, Chairman, and Director of the Inter-Faith Social Change Movement, and Pastor of God’s Missionary Baptist Church. Widely recognized as one of Philadelphia’s most innovative and outspoken spiritual leaders, Rev. Robinson is a pioneer in the education of disadvantaged children, an accomplished author, and a musician. His decades of service have earned him numerous citations and proclamations from City Council, honoring his tireless work alongside government, civic, and community organizations. Rev. Robinson joins us to share details about the First Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert of Philadelphia, happening Saturday, September 27 at The Lutheranian Music Hall, 2715 E. Alleghany Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134. Doors open at 6 PM, and the concert begins at 7 PM. Admission is a $20 donation.
Website: www.ifscm.org
Contact: Rev. S. Robinson – (215) 498-6882
We also shine a light on the urgent need for organ donation during National Minority Donor Awareness Month. More than 100,000 children and adults in the U.S. are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant—and nearly 60% are from Black and Brown communities. My guest, Phillip Davis, is a passionate educator and father who discovered he was in kidney failure on his 34th birthday. Since then, he has undergone dialysis treatments—four hours a day, three times a week—for over four years while waiting for his gift of life. Married to his wife Akelia since 2023, Phillip speaks movingly about her unwavering love and support, and continues to inspire as an educator, rapper, and advocate for organ and tissue donation.
Learn more: www.donors1.org
Website: www.ifscm.org
Contact: Rev. S. Robinson – (215) 498-6882
We also shine a light on the urgent need for organ donation during National Minority Donor Awareness Month. More than 100,000 children and adults in the U.S. are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant—and nearly 60% are from Black and Brown communities. My guest, Phillip Davis, is a passionate educator and father who discovered he was in kidney failure on his 34th birthday. Since then, he has undergone dialysis treatments—four hours a day, three times a week—for over four years while waiting for his gift of life. Married to his wife Akelia since 2023, Phillip speaks movingly about her unwavering love and support, and continues to inspire as an educator, rapper, and advocate for organ and tissue donation.
Learn more: www.donors1.org
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning. You're listening to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Ballartmorrow August is officially recognized as
National Minority Donor Awareness Month. We continue to share the
importance of orgon I and tissue donation, especially within communities
of color. We raise awareness, encouraged donor registration, and honor
(00:20):
donor heroes and transplant recipients. But first we are joined
by the Reverend Stephen T. Robinson, founder Chair and Director
of the Interfaith Social Change Movement and pastor of God's
Missionary Baptist Church Notice. One of Philadelphia's most innovative and
outspoken spiritual leaders. Reverend Robinson is also a pioneer in
(00:41):
the education of disadvantaged children, an accomplished author, and a musician.
His dedicated service has earned him many citations and proclamations,
and he's here today to tell us about an important
upcoming event, the first Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert
of Philadelphia, happening Saturday, September twenty seventh. Thank you so
much for joining us here today. We've certainly known each
(01:03):
other for many years, and I wonder if you can
tell us a little bit about first of all your organization,
the Interfaith Social Change Movement, and then we can move
on to this event that's coming up.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Tell us more Yes first and Fellows Laurene, thank you
as always for your involvement in the community and for
the empowerment and services that you provide and.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Is always a pleasure as well.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
The Interface Social Change Movement is a coalition of religious
institutions throughout Philadelphia who come together to come examples of
their faith, not just in sermons, but indeed in terms
of their services to the community at large.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
That's great, and I know that you've always been a
big proponent of intercultural and inter ethnic communication and I'm
sure this is no exception to that as well. Now
you've got a concert that's coming up, the first Annual
Addiction and Awareness and Recovery Concert is happening on Saturday,
September twenty seventh. Tell us exactly why you decided to
(01:59):
help organize this event, what is the purpose of it,
and why is it so important.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
So many years ago, my middle brother he had an
addiction and he was able to go to treatment and
he lived a sober life because of that.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
And if we look at statistics, it stated.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
That over one, three hundred and fifteen over those depths
were reported in the year of twenty twenty three, making
it the second largest year on record according to Pennsylvania
Department of Health. But however, this particular percentage was seven
percent decrease from the previous year of twenty twenty two,
and since then it has declined. Since twenty eighteen, however,
(02:39):
the devastation of addiction is prevalent still and the need
of this particular first Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert
is to bring awareness not only to the disease of addiction,
but also to celebrate those in recovery and also those
who are suffering in terms of having a love on
our friend going.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Through that particular disease.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
And so the event itself is to buy support and assistance.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
I wonder if you can walk us through what attendees
can expect at this concert, from the music to the
resources and the services that are going to be made available.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
There's going to be various performances highlighting the theme and
the concert, and there's also going to be testimonials from
individuals who may have overcome addiction, resource tables from organizations
providing information on addiction services, such as in patient services,
outpatient services, and assistance to families and friends once again
who may have a loved one or friends suffering from
(03:32):
the disease itself. It's a gathering of individuals throughout the
city of Philadelphia coming together in support and fellowship. But
now also at the event there's going to be some
refreshments and food as well.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
I wonder if you can tell us a little more
about some of your short term and long term goals
for this initiative. Certainly, this is an opportunity to raise
awareness and to begin to address some of the stigmas
associated with substance use disorder. Tell us more.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
The short term objective lies within the name itself and
awareness of the high prevalence of what's occurring throughout the
city of Philadelphia and the recovery in terms of the
emotional stigma and trauma, because you'll find in most cases,
should I say all cases individuals who are suffering from addiction,
they relapse emotionally before they pick up physically, and so
(04:20):
we have to address the emotional crisis in terms of
what's going on within the individual's lives that led them
to the drug to cause their addiction. Now, the stigma
is that far too often it's a disease. But then
some people perceive it as a choice. But the reality
is one could get into a car accident or have
(04:41):
an injury and be prescribed pain medication, and so it's
not by choice. They took a pain pill to try
and alleviate the pain that they were experiencing, and through
misuse trying to numb their pain, they end up with
an opioid disease. And so as a stigma in terms
of understanding the holistic view of recovery itself and what
(05:02):
services can be provide are provided to the individual and
to the family suffering from that disease. So it's a
concert through the universal language of music, but yet a
understanding in terms of how we all need to come
together to revolve the adverse conditions of what we're going through,
and that is the disease of addiction.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I wonder, since you have a personal connection with your
brother's journey through recovery, what are some of the things
that you learned in your support of your brother, and
what are some things that you learned that you like
to share with people who are out there maybe experiencing
the same sort of situation, whether they're in the throes
(05:40):
of the disease or whether they are family members who
are trying to support a loved one.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
I believe far too often the emotional trauma in terms
of feeling alone, increases the involvement of the drug addiction itself.
And that's why it's so important through fellowship of those
who are now all these suffering through the disease but
have overcome it to provide support. And the support is
not just given to those suffering from the addiction, but also,
(06:06):
as I indicated before, the family and loved ones and
friends who may have someone suffering through that disease. And
so the emotional trauma is universal, and so the support
specifically in reference to my brother as well, is that
he was able to connect with people that cared, the
people that he felt that he could connect to, and
that the support was genuine in terms of the service provided.
(06:30):
And so the message is that there's support out there,
there's people out there that care, and that you're not
alone in terms of what you may be experiencing or
going through, and there's strength and numbers, and through that
strength and numbers and support, that's what makes things possible
in life.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
For all of us to achieve.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
That's a wonderful message. And I wonder if you can
now tell us the specifics about the first annual Addiction
Awareness and Recovery Concert again, the date, the time, the location,
and also what the cost is. And I believe you're
also offering discount tickets for groups and those in need.
Tell us more.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
It's going to be held on Saturday, September the twenty seventh.
Doors open at six pm, concert will start at seven pm.
The location is the Lithenium and I'll spell that l
t h u a nia n Music Hall is located
at twenty seven fifteen East Alleghany Avenue, phil FPA one
(07:23):
nine one three four. And once again it's the first
Angule Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert of Philadelphia. And the
admission is twenty dollars, but for groups of individuals the
tickets are ten dollars. And also I want to add
for those individuals who may not have the funds to
enter or participate, there's tickets being donated free.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Reverend Robinson. If people want more information not only about
the concert but also the interfaith social change movement, where
do they go?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
They can go to the website, which is www dot
i FSCM dot org.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
I'd like to thank you so much for joining us.
It's great to see you again. Reverend Stephen T. Robinson,
founder chair and director of the Interfaith Social Change Movement
and pastor of God's Missionary Baptist Church. He is telling
us about the first Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert
of Philadelphia Saturday, September twenty seventh at the Luthanian Music
(08:21):
Hall at twenty seven fifteen East Alleghany Avenue. Doors open
at six, concert starts at seven. Admission is twenty. Thank
you so much for joining us today and thank you
for all the good works that you're doing.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Thank you well and God bless you.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
How you doing.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
My name is Philip Davis and I am a proud
kidney waitless patient.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Philip, When did you find out you needed a kidney
transplant and what health conditions led to the need for
this transplant?
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yes, thank you for asking that question.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
I found out I needed a transplant on September twenty second,
twenty twenty. It was actually my thirty fourth birthday. Over
the years, I had bad headaches. I was a young
man who had what they call petty mas seizures. And
one of the things that happened after you go through
your bouts with that is that you can receive severe migraines.
(09:13):
So over the years I had severe migraines, never really
took care of it, had the male bravado, like I'll
be okay, just throw some medicine and add it and
I'll be okay.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Long story short.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
On that day, when I went in on my birthday,
I found out that I had in stage renal disease,
and the causes of it were first it was inconclusive,
and then I got a second biopsy and it showed
that I had hypertension, which led to high blood pressure,
which then in turn calls.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Or diaspora into in stage renal disease.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
So, Philip, much like so many men, you kind of
put your own personal health aside until you really couldn't
wait any longer, and fortunately you did, and now you
know what you need and you need a transplant. How
long you you been on the wait list.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Yes, I've been on the wait list for four years
and ten months. So I'm coming up on my five
year anniversary in September. Been going to dialysis every Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday from the four pm to eight pm third shift.
I'm actually headed there shortly, and so I've you know,
(10:23):
it's been a long way, it's been a process, and
I'm hoping that we can get something done soon. Oftentimes
people look at me, and because I'm very active in
the advocacy community and education communities and music communities, people
may assumed like I'm not really sick or nothing's really wrong.
But I can attest there's a lot really wrong, and
(10:45):
I'm desperately trying to acquire a new kidney, whether it
be a living donor or a deceased donor, whichever comes first.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Philip, dialysis can be so challenging, and yet you do
live a very active life. You're in education, right, tell
us how dialysis how you kind of work around your
need to have dialysis and weigh that in or balance
that with all your other responsibilities.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
So I balance dialysis with my regular life by a
few things. One, I just have a great support system,
my family, my wonderful wife, my son, and people like
the Gift of Life, people like yourself who are very
supportive in this initiative of making sure not only like
are the stories heard, but that more people are aware
of what you can do as an organ downer, right,
(11:32):
and then with my nine to five being an assistant principal,
I like make sure my school is involved, Like all
my students are rooting for me, all my colleagues are.
Every March, we do at walk every March, there's a
project done in the science courses around the kidney organ
primarily in our eighth grade. So it's just like a
(11:54):
lot of engagement and involvement. And then you know, being
a dad, I still have those duties to handle.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
So you know, I'm just blessed.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
I thank God and just my support system, be it
my work environment, the gifts of life, and just like
family and friends who are there for me. When people
say like it really takes a village, usually to me
that's just talk, but in my experience now it's been
much of a reality. I have a lot of people
who support me. So if they know, like even when
(12:26):
I go overseas and I know I have to get
a dialysis treatment or two, my dialysis clinic is on
top of it and they're making sure that I'm set
up over there and that all the testing is done
in advance so that there's no hiccups when I get
over there so that I can get, you know, dialozed.
So Yeah, I think it's just having such a great
support system and just God in my life.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
He's awesome and I'm just blessed.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Yeah, you have managed to handle your situation with dialysis
while still balancing your life as an educator, as a husband,
as a father, and you also are an advocate for
organ donation. You're very active in that space, and in particular,
we know how important for black and brown communities to
(13:10):
be involved in organ donation, and I wonder if you
can talk more about why that's so important.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
It's so important for me to be involved in this
process to get more black and brown people to understand
their significance. At the end of the day, I'm about
to walk in to a dialysis clinic in a few minutes,
and all I'm going to see are people that look
like me.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
That's mainly what I see.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
I've been in almost five years I've been to when
I can clue my travels, I've probably been to twenty
five different dialysis clinics, and the majority of the time
I go.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
It's black and brown people.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
I've seen a few other races but very very slight, right,
a small percentage. So obviously, dialysis is something that's impacting
our community heavily, whether it be from diabetes, whether it
be from hypertension, high blood pressure, that are greater risk
factors for black and brown people, which is why we
(14:04):
need to make sure when we advocate, we provide the
educational resources behind it.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
I think oftentimes people just think like, oh.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
You go to dialysis, and that's like, no, Like, I
attend dialysis because it's life sustaining, right, That's exactly what
it's called.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
It's called life sustaining dialysis.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Without it, all the toxins would fill my body infiltrate
my other organs and other body parts, and then that
could be it. So obviously this is something that I
have to do to sustain the quality of life that
I want. But also just from the educational standpoint, we
need to understand as black and brown people, especially as
(14:42):
black and brown men, this thing is very much attacking
us in our backyards.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
And oftentimes it's the silent killer. It's the blood pressure.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Right, you don't even know, you don't feel it until
you feel it, right, I had no issues.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
I never had any blood pressures issues. Or anything.
Speaker 5 (14:58):
And then on my birth day on nine twenty two
to twenty twenty, I woke up and my blood pressure
was two eighty seven over ninety two.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
I was having a stroke and didn't know it.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
So it's like, it's so crazy because your life can
change in a matter of hours. Like one minute, I'm
this assistant principle helping to troubleshoot for parents whose students
were doing asynchronous work right because of the pandemic, and
then the next minute, I'm in Chestnut Hill Hospital being
(15:30):
diagnosed with the chronic illness.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
So I don't take anything for granted.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
And that's the reason why I'm doing as much as
I can to not only advocate, but also educate because
a lot of times, and I'll say this, a lot
of times, people who look like me, they get frustrated
and don't, you know, advocate for themselves, so they don't
understand what's really going on with their bodies and they're
just being able to be told anything and just go
with it, or they get frustrated when they're trying to
(15:56):
get leads or trying to get information and they stop
asking questions. So I want to be a vessel for
people who look like me to understand you don't stop
asking questions about your care, and that you continue to
get as much education as possible and get all the
resources as possible so that you can put yourself in
a better predicament and ultimately, while you await your journey
(16:17):
on receiving a transplant, you can have the best quality
of life possible during that time period.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Philip, there's so many misconceptions about organ donations, and those
misconceptions have led to many people not signing up to
be an organ donor. And I wonder if you can
dispel some of the misconceptions, the common ones that people
experience or that they think about.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
For sure, I want to dispel those misconceptions right here,
right now. I think like one of the major misconceptions
is that if I'm an organ donor and for instance,
something happens to me, that is going to let me
die and use my organs, right, Like, That's so not true.
Number One, The hospital staff they've taken oath and it's
about morality, and they're going to do everything they can
(17:00):
save your life first, because that's the most important.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Thing, is saving your life.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Right.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
By some chance, however, they are unsuccessful and you're a
registered organ donor. Now, depending on the organs you have,
depending on the quality of them, or you know, things
of that nature, the scores of them, your organs can
be utilized to help save the lives of others.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
The other misconceptions are like.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
The religious ones that I hear, there's no religious practice
to my knowledge.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
That you know, says you can't be an organ donor.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
And then the other one I often hear is that,
you know, I've had people say stuff to me like, well,
they're not paying me to be an organ donor and
things of that nature, and I'm like, hold up, why
would you need to be paid to be an organ donor?
But for some reason, you know, I've met plenty of
people who have that mindset, So I think it's just
the cultural shift. And then the last thing is, like
(17:54):
I know, for some people I've met, in particular in
our community, the trust factor amongst like high hospitals in general,
I think is something lack and I think there's a
there's a mistrust there. However that occurred, you know, or
why that occurred, I don't know, But for some reason,
that seems to be a stigma that you know, the
cares are the same for people of color, and so
(18:15):
I'm just trying to dispel all that and have people understand. Listen,
being a registered organ donor, no one has, No one's
going to put a gun to your head, right, It's
a it's a conscious decision you make and when you
make it, it's a noble act, right because if by
some chance your organs are able to be utilized when
you're gone and they're able to help save other people,
(18:36):
then that means to me, part of your legacy lives on,
and it lives on throughout those.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Other individuals who you're helping to save.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
And I've seen so many people over the last almost
five years who have gotten a chance to meet their
organ donor heroes and not only thank the families, but
build a relationship with them, right, And I think that's great.
I mean, be able to cultivate a positive relationship with
your donor heroes family, I mean, and I think that's
just such a great thing. And like I said, being
an organ doner is such a noble act. I'm a
(19:05):
registered organ doner myself right now, even as I'm a
person that needs, you know, about an organ So I
would encourage as many people as possible to, Like I say,
always say one, do to research.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Don't believe any of the myths.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
If you're in a situation, the hospital is going to
do their best to preserve your life.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
They're not going to wash you away, right, they want
you to live.
Speaker 5 (19:26):
But if some chance that it doesn't work out, just
know that you have an opportunity as a registered donor
to help save the life or lives of others.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Philip, But you've been waiting five long years for an
organ transplant. If an organ transplant were to occur, you
were able to get one, how'd you feel about that.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
If?
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Or well, when the call comes.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
When when yestisten, Yeah, we're going to speak that into existence.
When that actually happens, you know, it's going to be
one of the greatest days.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
It's been something I've been waiting for for.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Like you said, almost a half a decade, and I've
dealt with it, you know, in a lot of ways.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
I've had you know, as you can see in my arm,
this is my third.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
Graph right, I've had twenty four surgeries on my arm.
I've had two catheters, you know, three graphs loop graf.
I went through a lot over these last five years,
and I haven't enabled that to defeat me, and in
any way, it's become more empowering for me. It's been
an empowering experience because I got to meet so many
people within this community that I never knew existed until
(20:32):
you're in a hospital with a ne prologies and saying, hey,
my name is doctor so and so I just want
to introduce myself. I'm your new aprologist, and you're like, well,
what the heck is in autrology? And then they think
to you that it's for someone who has maybe some
kidney issues, whether it's an acute kidney injury or whether
it's a actual, you.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
Know, chronic kidney disease.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
So I mean, yeah, when that happens, I'm going to
be the happiest person. My bag's already packed. I keep
a bag with me, you know, just ready. I got
the pill on the truck, like I'm ready to go,
Like I'm waiting on that call. And as soon as
it comes, whether it comes from Jefferson or Hackingsack where
I'm registered, like.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
I'll be extremely ready to go and happy.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
And once it's over with and I feel like I
can start living a little more even than what I'm doing.
I'll be able to recover and do much more that
I would love to do. I would love to do
more with my son. You know, sometimes I'm just too
tired or broken down, even things with my wife or
even things with friends. So this will enable me to
be able to kind of rebuild my life and re
(21:33):
engage in certain things, with certain things.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Phil If you're so positive, and I know this can
be a very challenging, emotionally challenging process to be on
the wait list and not know when this great call
will come to tell you that you have a kidney?
How do you maintain your positivity? Clearly you have a
very wonderful support system, But what do you say to
(21:56):
other individuals such as yourself, who are out there waiting
and maybe feeling a little bit down, a little bit
depressed because they just don't know what the future holds
for them, hoping for the best, but perhaps being a
little bit sad about the fact that it's not coming sooner.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
What I would say to anyone on a wait list
while you wait, man, just understand that this is what
I like to call in the meantime, right, this is
the process where in the meantime, you got to continue
to live.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
One thing that happened to me.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
You met my mother before, But my mom said to
me when I was going through my y and me phase,
like the first month of this, he said, well, I'm
gonna tell you this right now. You can't be sick
and sad. You got to pick a struggle, right So
obviously I'm already sick. So I made that conscious decision.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
What's my mother?
Speaker 5 (22:42):
And I'm not going to be bitter about this because
I was very upset about this when it first happened.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
I would be a liar if I sat here and
said so I was great, I had the most positive attitude.
That wasn't true.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
I was so upset and I was in a dark
place for the first twenty to thirty days of going
through this. And just like I said, just the life change, right.
I was like maybe a few months after that, we
started going back into the building in a hybrid way
and I couldn't go back and I had to take
a work shabbatical while adjusted to life on dialysis. My
son ended up having to move with my ex wife
(23:13):
because you know, all the challenges I was having physically
and having to go to the doctor frequently and things
of that nature. So I mean it impacted a lot
of things. And so I also tell people like, this
takes a lot from you. And I know what kidney
failure has taken from me. You know, over my almost
five years, I've lost about fourteen people in my clinics
(23:33):
that I was very close to because you sit with
them for four hours, three times a week, twelve hours,
which is a part time shift, and you get to
know who they were before they had kidney failure, and
then who they wanted to be once they get the
new kidney, and who their kids are. And you hang
out with them and you have lunch with them, and
you so and then you lose them and you don't
get to say goodbye because of hippa. You come in
(23:55):
and nobody tells you that they're gone, and you put
two and two together because you're smart enough to realize, oh,
this person checked, they didn't make it. And I hate that, right,
that's something that is taken from me, those relationships I built,
and it's taken away.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Time from me. Time is our greatest commodity.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Like I just said, I'm in dialysis twelve hours a week.
That's literally a part time shift. There are so many
things I could be doing in those hours that I
really can't do because I have these seventeen inch needles
stuck in my arm draining life out of me for
four hours. So I just think back to like what
is taken from me, and I remember that, and that's
(24:32):
why I'm not upset, because I know it's necessary evil
because it's keeping me alive. But I also know, like
when the journey is over, I get to relive that
right in real time. I can go back to, like, man,
remember the days when we were at you know, Da Vita,
and you know this happened, and that happened, and man,
remember you know we bled out that one time and
(24:53):
we had to wait forty minutes or go to pen
and you know all those stories that happen in real time,
I'm able to relay them and you know, relived them
in my mind and say, man, we did it though,
we made it through this.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
And that's that's what I want to do.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
I want to be able to make it through this
so I can tell as many people as possible that
although it was a challenging, bumpy ride journey, it made
it all the best, you know, because I was able to,
you know, get through it, and that's the most important thing.
And then you know, having the people that I've met
who have been through it, having the dope relationships with
like Freeway, and meeting Scarface, who was like my dad's
(25:28):
favorite rapper, who whose son gave him a kidney, and
meeting Tracy Morgan, and like, you know, even like meeting
with you a few times and getting to talk to
you and learn why you're so passionate about this work.
Like that's the moments in the journey that I cherish,
like just to be able to build those relationships that
are important.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Well, we are praying for you and your family and
praying for a quick resolution and speedy connection with a
kidney transplant. And for those out there who are listening,
where do they go to find out more information? How
do they sign up? And what is your final message
to our listeners.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Yeah, for those who are listening, one great place to
go is donorswe dot org.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
That's the website for the Gift of Life.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
I know that the gift of life has been beyond
instrumental in my life over the last five years. My
wife actually found a Gift of life and said, hey,
my husband is someone on the analysis.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
He's really positive and really wants to make change, even
at the policy level.
Speaker 5 (26:27):
So you know, she engaged with them and then next
thing I know, we were going to events and then
they were coming to our kidney walk and the.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
Rest is history. They do a lot of great work.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
In this community for individuals like myself because they really care.
They know the impact, they know how many people die
while waiting on the list, They understand how it impacts
the black and brown community, and more importantly, how it
impacts like low income communities non conducive to academic success.
So you know, the work they're doing is phenomenal and
(26:59):
I'm glad that like partner with them and be an ambassador.
Another thing I would say, like my final message is
if you or someone you know is waiting for an order,
and whether it be a kidney like mine, a liver,
a heart, whatever, right, the number one thing is to
never lose the faith and to never lose hope.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I mean, I know it's easy to do because it's
frustrating some days.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Trust me, I have my days even now when I'm saying,
like dahn Man, it's been almost five years and I've
never even gotten a call, Like I know people who
get calls in like two years, and maybe they don't
get that kidney the first time, but at least they
got a call, So like you can assume it's possible,
you know, but I just can't give up. Like if
I give up on myself, then you know, no one
(27:46):
else is going to be there at the end of
the day. Like I have to believe it that it
can happen before anyone else. And I do believe it
will happen and that it can happen. And so I'm
determined to see you in the near future. And we're
not having this type of conversation we're talking about after
I got my transplant.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
That's my next interview with Lorraine Ballad. I want to
do the host ops transplant interview.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
That's that's what I want our next interview to be, Homark.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I am so looking forward to that moment. I am
praying for you and hopefully people out there are listening
are hearing your message. It's so important because people who
might be reluctant to sign up as kidney transplant organ
transplant donors just understand that if you need one, you
will take it right you will take that kidney right so,
(28:33):
and just know that there's a life that you can
save and a life like Phillips. Philip, you are a
positive person in this world and we are so looking
forward to the day when you will come back and
tell me that you got your kidney transplant. Philip Davis
kidney wait list patient five years, hopefully not too much longer.
Thank you for everything that you do to be an
(28:54):
ambassador for gift of life and spreading the message about
the importance of organ donation.
Speaker 5 (28:59):
Thank you as well, and thank you for having me
and look forward to seeing you in the Jason future.
Speaker 4 (29:03):
You have a blessed one. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(29:25):
You've been listening to Insight and thank you
Good morning. You're listening to Insight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Ballartmorrow August is officially recognized as
National Minority Donor Awareness Month. We continue to share the
importance of orgon I and tissue donation, especially within communities
of color. We raise awareness, encouraged donor registration, and honor
(00:20):
donor heroes and transplant recipients. But first we are joined
by the Reverend Stephen T. Robinson, founder Chair and Director
of the Interfaith Social Change Movement and pastor of God's
Missionary Baptist Church Notice. One of Philadelphia's most innovative and
outspoken spiritual leaders. Reverend Robinson is also a pioneer in
(00:41):
the education of disadvantaged children, an accomplished author, and a musician.
His dedicated service has earned him many citations and proclamations,
and he's here today to tell us about an important
upcoming event, the first Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert
of Philadelphia, happening Saturday, September twenty seventh. Thank you so
much for joining us here today. We've certainly known each
(01:03):
other for many years, and I wonder if you can
tell us a little bit about first of all your organization,
the Interfaith Social Change Movement, and then we can move
on to this event that's coming up.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Tell us more Yes first and Fellows Laurene, thank you
as always for your involvement in the community and for
the empowerment and services that you provide and.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Is always a pleasure as well.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
The Interface Social Change Movement is a coalition of religious
institutions throughout Philadelphia who come together to come examples of
their faith, not just in sermons, but indeed in terms
of their services to the community at large.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
That's great, and I know that you've always been a
big proponent of intercultural and inter ethnic communication and I'm
sure this is no exception to that as well. Now
you've got a concert that's coming up, the first Annual
Addiction and Awareness and Recovery Concert is happening on Saturday,
September twenty seventh. Tell us exactly why you decided to
(01:59):
help organize this event, what is the purpose of it,
and why is it so important.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
So many years ago, my middle brother he had an
addiction and he was able to go to treatment and
he lived a sober life because of that.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
And if we look at statistics, it stated.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
That over one, three hundred and fifteen over those depths
were reported in the year of twenty twenty three, making
it the second largest year on record according to Pennsylvania
Department of Health. But however, this particular percentage was seven
percent decrease from the previous year of twenty twenty two,
and since then it has declined. Since twenty eighteen, however,
(02:39):
the devastation of addiction is prevalent still and the need
of this particular first Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert
is to bring awareness not only to the disease of addiction,
but also to celebrate those in recovery and also those
who are suffering in terms of having a love on
our friend going.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Through that particular disease.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
And so the event itself is to buy support and assistance.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
I wonder if you can walk us through what attendees
can expect at this concert, from the music to the
resources and the services that are going to be made available.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
There's going to be various performances highlighting the theme and
the concert, and there's also going to be testimonials from
individuals who may have overcome addiction, resource tables from organizations
providing information on addiction services, such as in patient services,
outpatient services, and assistance to families and friends once again
who may have a loved one or friends suffering from
(03:32):
the disease itself. It's a gathering of individuals throughout the
city of Philadelphia coming together in support and fellowship. But
now also at the event there's going to be some
refreshments and food as well.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
I wonder if you can tell us a little more
about some of your short term and long term goals
for this initiative. Certainly, this is an opportunity to raise
awareness and to begin to address some of the stigmas
associated with substance use disorder. Tell us more.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
The short term objective lies within the name itself and
awareness of the high prevalence of what's occurring throughout the
city of Philadelphia and the recovery in terms of the
emotional stigma and trauma, because you'll find in most cases,
should I say all cases individuals who are suffering from addiction,
they relapse emotionally before they pick up physically, and so
(04:20):
we have to address the emotional crisis in terms of
what's going on within the individual's lives that led them
to the drug to cause their addiction. Now, the stigma
is that far too often it's a disease. But then
some people perceive it as a choice. But the reality
is one could get into a car accident or have
(04:41):
an injury and be prescribed pain medication, and so it's
not by choice. They took a pain pill to try
and alleviate the pain that they were experiencing, and through
misuse trying to numb their pain, they end up with
an opioid disease. And so as a stigma in terms
of understanding the holistic view of recovery itself and what
(05:02):
services can be provide are provided to the individual and
to the family suffering from that disease. So it's a
concert through the universal language of music, but yet a
understanding in terms of how we all need to come
together to revolve the adverse conditions of what we're going through,
and that is the disease of addiction.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
I wonder, since you have a personal connection with your
brother's journey through recovery, what are some of the things
that you learned in your support of your brother, and
what are some things that you learned that you like
to share with people who are out there maybe experiencing
the same sort of situation, whether they're in the throes
(05:40):
of the disease or whether they are family members who
are trying to support a loved one.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
I believe far too often the emotional trauma in terms
of feeling alone, increases the involvement of the drug addiction itself.
And that's why it's so important through fellowship of those
who are now all these suffering through the disease but
have overcome it to provide support. And the support is
not just given to those suffering from the addiction, but also,
(06:06):
as I indicated before, the family and loved ones and
friends who may have someone suffering through that disease. And
so the emotional trauma is universal, and so the support
specifically in reference to my brother as well, is that
he was able to connect with people that cared, the
people that he felt that he could connect to, and
that the support was genuine in terms of the service provided.
(06:30):
And so the message is that there's support out there,
there's people out there that care, and that you're not
alone in terms of what you may be experiencing or
going through, and there's strength and numbers, and through that
strength and numbers and support, that's what makes things possible
in life.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
For all of us to achieve.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
That's a wonderful message. And I wonder if you can
now tell us the specifics about the first annual Addiction
Awareness and Recovery Concert again, the date, the time, the location,
and also what the cost is. And I believe you're
also offering discount tickets for groups and those in need.
Tell us more.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
It's going to be held on Saturday, September the twenty seventh.
Doors open at six pm, concert will start at seven pm.
The location is the Lithenium and I'll spell that l
t h u a nia n Music Hall is located
at twenty seven fifteen East Alleghany Avenue, phil FPA one
(07:23):
nine one three four. And once again it's the first
Angule Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert of Philadelphia. And the
admission is twenty dollars, but for groups of individuals the
tickets are ten dollars. And also I want to add
for those individuals who may not have the funds to
enter or participate, there's tickets being donated free.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Reverend Robinson. If people want more information not only about
the concert but also the interfaith social change movement, where
do they go?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
They can go to the website, which is www dot
i FSCM dot org.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
I'd like to thank you so much for joining us.
It's great to see you again. Reverend Stephen T. Robinson,
founder chair and director of the Interfaith Social Change Movement
and pastor of God's Missionary Baptist Church. He is telling
us about the first Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert
of Philadelphia Saturday, September twenty seventh at the Luthanian Music
(08:21):
Hall at twenty seven fifteen East Alleghany Avenue. Doors open
at six, concert starts at seven. Admission is twenty. Thank
you so much for joining us today and thank you
for all the good works that you're doing.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Thank you well and God bless you.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
How you doing.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
My name is Philip Davis and I am a proud
kidney waitless patient.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Philip, When did you find out you needed a kidney
transplant and what health conditions led to the need for
this transplant?
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yes, thank you for asking that question.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
I found out I needed a transplant on September twenty second,
twenty twenty. It was actually my thirty fourth birthday. Over
the years, I had bad headaches. I was a young
man who had what they call petty mas seizures. And
one of the things that happened after you go through
your bouts with that is that you can receive severe migraines.
(09:13):
So over the years I had severe migraines, never really
took care of it, had the male bravado, like I'll
be okay, just throw some medicine and add it and
I'll be okay.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Long story short.
Speaker 5 (09:23):
On that day, when I went in on my birthday,
I found out that I had in stage renal disease,
and the causes of it were first it was inconclusive,
and then I got a second biopsy and it showed
that I had hypertension, which led to high blood pressure,
which then in turn calls.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Or diaspora into in stage renal disease.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
So, Philip, much like so many men, you kind of
put your own personal health aside until you really couldn't
wait any longer, and fortunately you did, and now you
know what you need and you need a transplant. How
long you you been on the wait list.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Yes, I've been on the wait list for four years
and ten months. So I'm coming up on my five
year anniversary in September. Been going to dialysis every Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday from the four pm to eight pm third shift.
I'm actually headed there shortly, and so I've you know,
(10:23):
it's been a long way, it's been a process, and
I'm hoping that we can get something done soon. Oftentimes
people look at me, and because I'm very active in
the advocacy community and education communities and music communities, people
may assumed like I'm not really sick or nothing's really wrong.
But I can attest there's a lot really wrong, and
(10:45):
I'm desperately trying to acquire a new kidney, whether it
be a living donor or a deceased donor, whichever comes first.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Philip, dialysis can be so challenging, and yet you do
live a very active life. You're in education, right, tell
us how dialysis how you kind of work around your
need to have dialysis and weigh that in or balance
that with all your other responsibilities.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
So I balance dialysis with my regular life by a
few things. One, I just have a great support system,
my family, my wonderful wife, my son, and people like
the Gift of Life, people like yourself who are very
supportive in this initiative of making sure not only like
are the stories heard, but that more people are aware
of what you can do as an organ downer, right,
(11:32):
and then with my nine to five being an assistant principal,
I like make sure my school is involved, Like all
my students are rooting for me, all my colleagues are.
Every March, we do at walk every March, there's a
project done in the science courses around the kidney organ
primarily in our eighth grade. So it's just like a
(11:54):
lot of engagement and involvement. And then you know, being
a dad, I still have those duties to handle.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
So you know, I'm just blessed.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
I thank God and just my support system, be it
my work environment, the gifts of life, and just like
family and friends who are there for me. When people
say like it really takes a village, usually to me
that's just talk, but in my experience now it's been
much of a reality. I have a lot of people
who support me. So if they know, like even when
(12:26):
I go overseas and I know I have to get
a dialysis treatment or two, my dialysis clinic is on
top of it and they're making sure that I'm set
up over there and that all the testing is done
in advance so that there's no hiccups when I get
over there so that I can get, you know, dialozed.
So Yeah, I think it's just having such a great
support system and just God in my life.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
He's awesome and I'm just blessed.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Yeah, you have managed to handle your situation with dialysis
while still balancing your life as an educator, as a husband,
as a father, and you also are an advocate for
organ donation. You're very active in that space, and in particular,
we know how important for black and brown communities to
(13:10):
be involved in organ donation, and I wonder if you
can talk more about why that's so important.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
It's so important for me to be involved in this
process to get more black and brown people to understand
their significance. At the end of the day, I'm about
to walk in to a dialysis clinic in a few minutes,
and all I'm going to see are people that look
like me.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
That's mainly what I see.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
I've been in almost five years I've been to when
I can clue my travels, I've probably been to twenty
five different dialysis clinics, and the majority of the time
I go.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
It's black and brown people.
Speaker 5 (13:42):
I've seen a few other races but very very slight, right,
a small percentage. So obviously, dialysis is something that's impacting
our community heavily, whether it be from diabetes, whether it
be from hypertension, high blood pressure, that are greater risk
factors for black and brown people, which is why we
(14:04):
need to make sure when we advocate, we provide the
educational resources behind it.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
I think oftentimes people just think like, oh.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
You go to dialysis, and that's like, no, Like, I
attend dialysis because it's life sustaining, right, That's exactly what
it's called.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
It's called life sustaining dialysis.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Without it, all the toxins would fill my body infiltrate
my other organs and other body parts, and then that
could be it. So obviously this is something that I
have to do to sustain the quality of life that
I want. But also just from the educational standpoint, we
need to understand as black and brown people, especially as
(14:42):
black and brown men, this thing is very much attacking
us in our backyards.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
And oftentimes it's the silent killer. It's the blood pressure.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Right, you don't even know, you don't feel it until
you feel it, right, I had no issues.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
I never had any blood pressures issues. Or anything.
Speaker 5 (14:58):
And then on my birth day on nine twenty two
to twenty twenty, I woke up and my blood pressure
was two eighty seven over ninety two.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
I was having a stroke and didn't know it.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
So it's like, it's so crazy because your life can
change in a matter of hours. Like one minute, I'm
this assistant principle helping to troubleshoot for parents whose students
were doing asynchronous work right because of the pandemic, and
then the next minute, I'm in Chestnut Hill Hospital being
(15:30):
diagnosed with the chronic illness.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
So I don't take anything for granted.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
And that's the reason why I'm doing as much as
I can to not only advocate, but also educate because
a lot of times, and I'll say this, a lot
of times, people who look like me, they get frustrated
and don't, you know, advocate for themselves, so they don't
understand what's really going on with their bodies and they're
just being able to be told anything and just go
with it, or they get frustrated when they're trying to
(15:56):
get leads or trying to get information and they stop
asking questions. So I want to be a vessel for
people who look like me to understand you don't stop
asking questions about your care, and that you continue to
get as much education as possible and get all the
resources as possible so that you can put yourself in
a better predicament and ultimately, while you await your journey
(16:17):
on receiving a transplant, you can have the best quality
of life possible during that time period.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Philip, there's so many misconceptions about organ donations, and those
misconceptions have led to many people not signing up to
be an organ donor. And I wonder if you can
dispel some of the misconceptions, the common ones that people
experience or that they think about.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
For sure, I want to dispel those misconceptions right here,
right now. I think like one of the major misconceptions
is that if I'm an organ donor and for instance,
something happens to me, that is going to let me
die and use my organs, right, Like, That's so not true.
Number One, The hospital staff they've taken oath and it's
about morality, and they're going to do everything they can
(17:00):
save your life first, because that's the most important.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
Thing, is saving your life.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Right.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
By some chance, however, they are unsuccessful and you're a
registered organ donor. Now, depending on the organs you have,
depending on the quality of them, or you know, things
of that nature, the scores of them, your organs can
be utilized to help save the lives of others.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
The other misconceptions are like.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
The religious ones that I hear, there's no religious practice
to my knowledge.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
That you know, says you can't be an organ donor.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
And then the other one I often hear is that,
you know, I've had people say stuff to me like, well,
they're not paying me to be an organ donor and
things of that nature, and I'm like, hold up, why
would you need to be paid to be an organ donor?
But for some reason, you know, I've met plenty of
people who have that mindset, So I think it's just
the cultural shift. And then the last thing is, like
(17:54):
I know, for some people I've met, in particular in
our community, the trust factor amongst like high hospitals in general,
I think is something lack and I think there's a
there's a mistrust there. However that occurred, you know, or
why that occurred, I don't know, But for some reason,
that seems to be a stigma that you know, the
cares are the same for people of color, and so
(18:15):
I'm just trying to dispel all that and have people understand. Listen,
being a registered organ donor, no one has, No one's
going to put a gun to your head, right, It's
a it's a conscious decision you make and when you
make it, it's a noble act, right because if by
some chance your organs are able to be utilized when
you're gone and they're able to help save other people,
(18:36):
then that means to me, part of your legacy lives on,
and it lives on throughout those.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Other individuals who you're helping to save.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
And I've seen so many people over the last almost
five years who have gotten a chance to meet their
organ donor heroes and not only thank the families, but
build a relationship with them, right, And I think that's great.
I mean, be able to cultivate a positive relationship with
your donor heroes family, I mean, and I think that's
just such a great thing. And like I said, being
an organ doner is such a noble act. I'm a
(19:05):
registered organ doner myself right now, even as I'm a
person that needs, you know, about an organ So I
would encourage as many people as possible to, Like I say,
always say one, do to research.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Don't believe any of the myths.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
If you're in a situation, the hospital is going to
do their best to preserve your life.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
They're not going to wash you away, right, they want
you to live.
Speaker 5 (19:26):
But if some chance that it doesn't work out, just
know that you have an opportunity as a registered donor
to help save the life or lives of others.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Philip, But you've been waiting five long years for an
organ transplant. If an organ transplant were to occur, you
were able to get one, how'd you feel about that.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
If?
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Or well, when the call comes.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
When when yestisten, Yeah, we're going to speak that into existence.
When that actually happens, you know, it's going to be
one of the greatest days.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
It's been something I've been waiting for for.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Like you said, almost a half a decade, and I've
dealt with it, you know, in a lot of ways.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
I've had you know, as you can see in my arm,
this is my third.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
Graph right, I've had twenty four surgeries on my arm.
I've had two catheters, you know, three graphs loop graf.
I went through a lot over these last five years,
and I haven't enabled that to defeat me, and in
any way, it's become more empowering for me. It's been
an empowering experience because I got to meet so many
people within this community that I never knew existed until
(20:32):
you're in a hospital with a ne prologies and saying, hey,
my name is doctor so and so I just want
to introduce myself. I'm your new aprologist, and you're like, well,
what the heck is in autrology? And then they think
to you that it's for someone who has maybe some
kidney issues, whether it's an acute kidney injury or whether
it's a actual, you.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
Know, chronic kidney disease.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
So I mean, yeah, when that happens, I'm going to
be the happiest person. My bag's already packed. I keep
a bag with me, you know, just ready. I got
the pill on the truck, like I'm ready to go,
Like I'm waiting on that call. And as soon as
it comes, whether it comes from Jefferson or Hackingsack where
I'm registered, like.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
I'll be extremely ready to go and happy.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
And once it's over with and I feel like I
can start living a little more even than what I'm doing.
I'll be able to recover and do much more that
I would love to do. I would love to do
more with my son. You know, sometimes I'm just too
tired or broken down, even things with my wife or
even things with friends. So this will enable me to
be able to kind of rebuild my life and re
(21:33):
engage in certain things, with certain things.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Phil If you're so positive, and I know this can
be a very challenging, emotionally challenging process to be on
the wait list and not know when this great call
will come to tell you that you have a kidney?
How do you maintain your positivity? Clearly you have a
very wonderful support system, But what do you say to
(21:56):
other individuals such as yourself, who are out there waiting
and maybe feeling a little bit down, a little bit
depressed because they just don't know what the future holds
for them, hoping for the best, but perhaps being a
little bit sad about the fact that it's not coming sooner.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
What I would say to anyone on a wait list
while you wait, man, just understand that this is what
I like to call in the meantime, right, this is
the process where in the meantime, you got to continue
to live.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
One thing that happened to me.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
You met my mother before, But my mom said to
me when I was going through my y and me phase,
like the first month of this, he said, well, I'm
gonna tell you this right now. You can't be sick
and sad. You got to pick a struggle, right So
obviously I'm already sick. So I made that conscious decision.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
What's my mother?
Speaker 5 (22:42):
And I'm not going to be bitter about this because
I was very upset about this when it first happened.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
I would be a liar if I sat here and
said so I was great, I had the most positive attitude.
That wasn't true.
Speaker 5 (22:52):
I was so upset and I was in a dark
place for the first twenty to thirty days of going
through this. And just like I said, just the life change, right.
I was like maybe a few months after that, we
started going back into the building in a hybrid way
and I couldn't go back and I had to take
a work shabbatical while adjusted to life on dialysis. My
son ended up having to move with my ex wife
(23:13):
because you know, all the challenges I was having physically
and having to go to the doctor frequently and things
of that nature. So I mean it impacted a lot
of things. And so I also tell people like, this
takes a lot from you. And I know what kidney
failure has taken from me. You know, over my almost
five years, I've lost about fourteen people in my clinics
(23:33):
that I was very close to because you sit with
them for four hours, three times a week, twelve hours,
which is a part time shift, and you get to
know who they were before they had kidney failure, and
then who they wanted to be once they get the
new kidney, and who their kids are. And you hang
out with them and you have lunch with them, and
you so and then you lose them and you don't
get to say goodbye because of hippa. You come in
(23:55):
and nobody tells you that they're gone, and you put
two and two together because you're smart enough to realize, oh,
this person checked, they didn't make it. And I hate that, right,
that's something that is taken from me, those relationships I built,
and it's taken away.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
Time from me. Time is our greatest commodity.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Like I just said, I'm in dialysis twelve hours a week.
That's literally a part time shift. There are so many
things I could be doing in those hours that I
really can't do because I have these seventeen inch needles
stuck in my arm draining life out of me for
four hours. So I just think back to like what
is taken from me, and I remember that, and that's
(24:32):
why I'm not upset, because I know it's necessary evil
because it's keeping me alive. But I also know, like
when the journey is over, I get to relive that
right in real time. I can go back to, like, man,
remember the days when we were at you know, Da Vita,
and you know this happened, and that happened, and man,
remember you know we bled out that one time and
(24:53):
we had to wait forty minutes or go to pen
and you know all those stories that happen in real time,
I'm able to relay them and you know, relived them
in my mind and say, man, we did it though,
we made it through this.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
And that's that's what I want to do.
Speaker 5 (25:07):
I want to be able to make it through this
so I can tell as many people as possible that
although it was a challenging, bumpy ride journey, it made
it all the best, you know, because I was able to,
you know, get through it, and that's the most important thing.
And then you know, having the people that I've met
who have been through it, having the dope relationships with
like Freeway, and meeting Scarface, who was like my dad's
(25:28):
favorite rapper, who whose son gave him a kidney, and
meeting Tracy Morgan, and like, you know, even like meeting
with you a few times and getting to talk to
you and learn why you're so passionate about this work.
Like that's the moments in the journey that I cherish,
like just to be able to build those relationships that
are important.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Well, we are praying for you and your family and
praying for a quick resolution and speedy connection with a
kidney transplant. And for those out there who are listening,
where do they go to find out more information? How
do they sign up? And what is your final message
to our listeners.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Yeah, for those who are listening, one great place to
go is donorswe dot org.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
That's the website for the Gift of Life.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
I know that the gift of life has been beyond
instrumental in my life over the last five years. My
wife actually found a Gift of life and said, hey,
my husband is someone on the analysis.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
He's really positive and really wants to make change, even
at the policy level.
Speaker 5 (26:27):
So you know, she engaged with them and then next
thing I know, we were going to events and then
they were coming to our kidney walk and the.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
Rest is history. They do a lot of great work.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
In this community for individuals like myself because they really care.
They know the impact, they know how many people die
while waiting on the list, They understand how it impacts
the black and brown community, and more importantly, how it
impacts like low income communities non conducive to academic success.
So you know, the work they're doing is phenomenal and
(26:59):
I'm glad that like partner with them and be an ambassador.
Another thing I would say, like my final message is
if you or someone you know is waiting for an order,
and whether it be a kidney like mine, a liver,
a heart, whatever, right, the number one thing is to
never lose the faith and to never lose hope.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
I mean, I know it's easy to do because it's
frustrating some days.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Trust me, I have my days even now when I'm saying,
like dahn Man, it's been almost five years and I've
never even gotten a call, Like I know people who
get calls in like two years, and maybe they don't
get that kidney the first time, but at least they
got a call, So like you can assume it's possible,
you know, but I just can't give up. Like if
I give up on myself, then you know, no one
(27:46):
else is going to be there at the end of
the day. Like I have to believe it that it
can happen before anyone else. And I do believe it
will happen and that it can happen. And so I'm
determined to see you in the near future. And we're
not having this type of conversation we're talking about after
I got my transplant.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
That's my next interview with Lorraine Ballad. I want to
do the host ops transplant interview.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
That's that's what I want our next interview to be, Homark.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I am so looking forward to that moment. I am
praying for you and hopefully people out there are listening
are hearing your message. It's so important because people who
might be reluctant to sign up as kidney transplant organ
transplant donors just understand that if you need one, you
will take it right you will take that kidney right so,
(28:33):
and just know that there's a life that you can
save and a life like Phillips. Philip, you are a
positive person in this world and we are so looking
forward to the day when you will come back and
tell me that you got your kidney transplant. Philip Davis
kidney wait list patient five years, hopefully not too much longer.
Thank you for everything that you do to be an
(28:54):
ambassador for gift of life and spreading the message about
the importance of organ donation.
Speaker 5 (28:59):
Thank you as well, and thank you for having me
and look forward to seeing you in the Jason future.
Speaker 4 (29:03):
You have a blessed one. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers. What will you stand for?
(29:25):
You've been listening to Insight and thank you
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