Ohio Man’s Kidney Transplant Canceled Days Away From Scheduled Surgery Because Donor Wasn’t Vaxxed

 

An Ohio man’s kidney transplant surgery was canceled because the donor was not vaccinated against Covid-19.

Fully vaccinated Mike Ganin, 52, was just days away from his scheduled transplant surgery when he was informed by the Cleveland Clinic it was canceled because the donor was not vaccinated.

Under the Cleveland Clinic’s new policy, the donor must be vaccinated against Covid in order to donate an organ.

“It made us feel like we were back to square one,” said Mike Ganin’s wife Debi. “I’ve been terrified. Sometimes I have my moments that I don’t think about it, but it comes back, and I think, ‘What’s going to happen?'”

Desperate to find a kidney donor after doctors said dialysis would no longer suffice, Debi Ganin took to Facebook to find a match for her husband.

Debi pleaded for help in a Facebook post and sure enough she found a match for her husband after dozens of people offered to take a blood test.

After finding a match and months of prep, the Ganins were told the transplant surgery was canceled due to a new policy.

WKYC reported:

EASTLAKE, Ohio — Mike Ganim was five days away from life-saving kidney transplant surgery when his wife, Debi, got the devastating news.

The surgery would not happen.

Debi Ganim said they were informed on October 8 that Cleveland Clinic implemented a new safety policy that required both living donors and organ recipients to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

After months of pre-operation procedures and preparation, the crucial surgery was scheduled on October 13. But last Friday, the Ganims were informed that the surgery would not proceed.

“We were blindsided,” said George, who said that doctors knew all along that she was not vaccinated, and no one said that it would be a problem. George said that getting the vaccine now is not an option. “I don’t want to get the vaccine,” she explained. “I’ve got reasons — medical, religious, and also freedom.”

Debi and Mike Ganim are still hoping that there will be a way to proceed with transplant surgery, if perhaps, George undergoes her portion of the surgery at another hospital in Cleveland or Columbus.

“It’s just wrong in so many ways,” said Debi, of the Clinic’s decision to cancel Mike’s surgery. “All because of a policy that was just decided.”