A Donor Mother Views Donation
Recently, during the same week Hayes Johnson's April 10 column about organ donation appeared, a letter crossed my desk. It was written by Rita Bailey who, a year ago, experienced a mother's worst nightmare when someone from her daughter's school called to say that "Melisa had fallen and an ambulance had been dispatched."
One moment an apparently healthy 10-year-old was climbing monkey bars in the school playground; the next she was stricken with a terrible headache and fell from the top of an eight-foot slide. Within days, this bright and beautiful child was dead of a massive stroke caused by a congenital heart malformation.
Dead, but maintained on life support, so her family could donate her corneas, tissues and organs.
Melisa was the soul of generosity, her mother says. "They say angels walk on earth and I believe I have been blessed to know one. In death, through donation, she was still that giving person."
Every day, as executive director of the Medical Eye Bank of Maryland, I see first-hand the benefits of donation. There is no simple truth to this issue, but an obvious one is that people who were blind can now see because of corneal donation. People hovering at the edge of death are rescued by tissue and organ donations.
Another truth is that donors and their families are regarded with the utmost esteem and gratitude by all of us who work in the transplant community. I grieve along with donor families. I can also offer them the knowledge that the corneas they donate will change someone's life. I can assure them that the removal of these corneas -- as is the case with the recovery of organs and other tissue -- is accomplished with as much care and respect as is accorded any living patient.
Rita Bailey, like most donor family members, was informed of the destiny of her child's donations. Her corneas went to one man and one woman in the prime of their lives; her liver to a gravely ill 60-year-old woman; one kidney and pancreas to a 30-year-old woman; another to a woman with young children; heart valves to a medical center, where they would be used for valve replacement in children. She was not given the names of these recipients as Hayes Johnson's mother was not given the names of the recipients of his sister's donations.
This is not cruelty, as he suggests, but a compassionate gesture to the recipients, who need to live with their new corneas, tissues and organs integrated into their own identity. It is also an act of compassion for the donor families who, as they deal with their sorrow, must also go on with their lives. In fact, most eye, tissue and organ banks will transmit general information about recipients and sometimes poignant thank-you notes from recipient to donor, respecting the privacy of both.
Rita Bailey, the donor mother, tells recipients of her daughter's .. gifts: "There are no strings attached, no conditions. You don't have to lead a sainted life, just do this life justice. . . . Be grateful, but don't dwell on us. We give this gift to you."
This is National Eye, Tissue and Organ Donor Awareness Week. It is not an accident that this commemoration is celebrated in spring, around Easter. In a season that glorifies life renewed, it is fitting to remember all of those who donated so that others could live full lives and to celebrate those new lives. Hayes Johnson has my deepest sympathies on the loss of his sister. I pray that one day he will feel a measure of consolation. I also hope he will recognize the enormous significance of his generous act.
Rita Bailey might be sending her message directly to him: "There is nothing fair or just about the death of our beautiful daughter, but there is justice in helping others. As our family creates a new beginning from this end, we find a great deal of comfort in knowing the magnitude of Melisa's gifts to others."
Patricia A. Murphy
Baltimore
Wigler Missed It
The article by Stephen Wigler criticizing the wonderful performance of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto by the Peabody Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leon Fleisher with pianist Brian Ganz on April 7 greatly offended me, my husband and our friends.
We are all music lovers and have been concert goers our entire lives. "Superb" would be our adjective for both orchestra and soloist. In fact, none of us have ever heard such a sensitive -- not to mention virtuoso -- performance of the Beethoven before.
Contrary to Mr. Wigler's opinion, we felt that both soloist and orchestra were remarkably in synch. Mr. Ganz' performance was outstanding in every way. He played with great feeling and any nuance he cared to achieve was literally at his finger tips. The audience seemed to feel that way too and the performance was greeted with great enthusiasm.
Mr. Wigler's criticism makes us wonder if, indeed, we attended the same concert.
Nancy H. Hirsche
Baltimore
Free Sky Boxes
As a mini-season ticket holder I was graciously allowed to purchase exhibition tickets, since opening day was sold out for the new Oriole Park. During the game I managed to get on the club level and observed almost half the people there not even watching the game. It was obvious they were not there to see the game, but to be seen at the game.
I also noticed that Governor Schaefer, Mayor Schmoke and the Stadium Authority all had sky boxes. After opening day I had a conversation with a contractor who had worked on the stadium, and he freely admitted to being allowed to purchase 120 tickets for opening day.
Several questions need to be asked. If the stadium is to be for a profit venture and the Orioles' rent is partially based on a percentage of profit, then why do Governor Schaefer and the boys get free sky boxes? Why did the Orioles allow large blocks of tickets to be purchased by contractors before the loyal fans who had previously purchased season tickets? Didn't they get paid for the job?
Once again the middle-class unimportant fan suffers at the expense of the politically affluent who enjoy expensive perks at the taxpayers expense.
People are screaming about perks by Capitol Hill fat cats while our governor, mayor and politically affluent enjoy $80,000-plus sky boxes.
Joseph M. Collins Sr.
Reisterstown
Hughes' Role
The Sun has recently published several letters praising the vision and work of Gov. William Donald Schaefer in making Oriole Park at Camden Yards a reality. Without question Governor Schaefer, the Maryland General Assembly and the Marylanders who purchased the lottery tickets to pay for it deserve credit and thanks.
However, there is another person whose vision and work deserves recognition and thanks as well. The person is former Gov. Harry Hughes. After all it was Governor Hughes who supported and signed the legislation that created the Maryland Stadium Authority. Governor Hughes appointed Chairman Herbert Belgrad and the original members of the Stadium Authority. Governor Hughes, a lifelong baseball supporter and a pretty good ballplayer in his own right, helped Orioles Park at Camden Yards crawl before it could walk.
Grason Eckel
Baltimore
Military Memorials
As chairman of the Maryland Military Monuments Commission, I would like to commend Robert A. Erlandson for his April 9 article, "Survivors of Bataan -- 50 year-old nightmare haunts area veterans."
It helped to remind all of us of the many horrors of war. It also reminded us of the strong will of man to overcome these horrors.
Just 50 years ago the world was torn apart by World War II, and the precious freedom we enjoy today was made possible by brave Maryland men and women like these men who survived the horrors of Bataan.
It is important to never forget the veterans of World War II and all other conflicts that have taken lives.
For this reason, Gov. William Donald Schaefer asked me to create the Maryland Military Monuments Commission, a group dedicated to locating and preserving monuments built in honor of these brave heroes.
Our goal, accomplished by working together with veterans and patriotic groups and historical and cultural societies, businesses and private citizens, is to preserve these historic landmarks and educate the public about Maryland's military heritage.
Thanks to Mr. Erlandson for reminding all of us of the sacrifices made by our veterans.
Winfield M. Kelly Jr.
Annapolis
The writer is Maryland secretary of state and chairman of the Military Monuments Commission.