A TRANSPLANT SURGEON’S POEM: Comparing the Gift of Life and Transplantation to the Seasons, and Spring’s Renewal
When it came time to prepare his remarks for Upstate University Hospital’s National Donate Life Month celebration, Dr. Vaughn Whittaker wanted to do something a bit different.
Whittaker, a kidney transplant surgeon, enjoys writing poetry and says he “dabbles in it when he feels the creative urge.” This was one of those times.
Dr. Vaughn Whittaker
As Dr. Whittaker began to think about Donate Life Month and the connections to celebrating it in April, the idea came to him to show how the power of giving life through the gift of organ donation compares to the renewal of spring.
“We all know the numbers and the message is always the same,” Whittaker explained, referring to the disparity between people needing life-saving transplants, the number of organ donors and how to help close that gap through raising awareness.
So, his idea to liken the deeper meaning of giving life through organ donation to the seasons of the year was, as he explained, his way of “honoring donors by illustrating what they can do for the recipients – moving them through the “winter” of despair to a “spring” – filled with hope and renewal.”
We think you’ll agree, Dr. Whittaker’s heartfelt words are inspiring.
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