“Baby A.J.” waits

The ongoing saga of a 2-year-old deprived of a crucial kidney transplant

Baby AJGoFundMe.com/Carmellia BurgessA.J. Burgess was born without working kidneys. He undergoes daily dialysis to stay alive. His father, Anthony Dickerson, is willing to sacrifice one of his own organs to save his son’s health perhaps his life and on Oct. 3, 2-year-old “Baby A.J.” Burgess and his dad were scheduled to go under the knife at Emory University Hospital. That never happened.

Dickerson, according to a battery of blood tests, is a perfect match for the procedure. But he’s also a criminal. When the 26-year-old father was arrested on Sept. 28, violating his parole, Emory took notice and canceled the operation. Citing U.S. Department of Health and Human Services policies on organ donor eligibility as their warrant, hospital officials told the family they would have to reevaluate Dickerson’s candidacy in January 2018, assuming his parole officer gives the all-clear.

20171103Twitter/@FortForAtlantaA.J.’s parents don’t want to wait for their sick baby to get better. He’s already been in an out of the emergency room once during the wait, due to an abdominal infection that sends him into fits of pain. Word of his family’s plight spread in social channels and blossomed into a movement that begged one question: Why should a father’s past cripple his son’s future? #ShameOnEmory hung on some politicians’ Twitter feeds. An activist following rallied to protest and pray for the toddler’s care. A.J.’s mother, Carmellia Burgess, built a GoFundMe page, preparing for the possibility that Emory ultimately declines A.J. help. That would mean starting from scratch new doctors, new tests, new bills.

But on Nov. 2, the activist efforts bore fruit. Some. Emory’s transplant team agreed to meet with A.J.’s parents, their lawyers, and their supporters. Attorney Mawuli Davis told Creative Loafing the Thursday evening sit-down was “a step in the right direction.” He lamented, nonetheless, that they came no closer to understanding why Dickerson’s rap sheet plays such a pivotal role in the transplant process “or why this arbitrary date of January was set forth.” Judging by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network policies sent to CL by Emory Healthcare officials, the hospital could be excusing its refusal by using a clause about evaluating prospective donors’ “social history” and “risk behavior.” Emory did not confirm to CL that this is the case. Even if it is, the OPTN guidelines do not justify the three-month wait imposed.

During the meeting, Davis said, the transplant team didn’t budge on its original plan. The doctors did, however, yield A.J.’s advocates another meeting. On Monday, they speak again. In the interim, and for the foreseeable future, A.J. spends his days at Egleston Hospital, a Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta facility.

20171103(1)Twitter/@Clair_FOX5Emory vowed its medical professionals want the best for the young boy. CEO Jonathan Lewin, in a statement emailed to CL Thursday night, conceded that the institution had poorly conveyed the intricacies of their decisions regarding A.J. “Emory Healthcare wants to acknowledge and apologize for a breakdown in communication on our part,” the statement said, later continuing, “moving forward on behalf of A.J. is everyone’s most important goal.”

Perhaps one day people will praise Emory University Hospital for making amends and healing a boy who deserves a shot a normalcy. Perhaps A.J. will grow old telling stories of how family and friends, neighbors and strangers, state lawmakers and congressmen all banded together to fight for him. Perhaps his story will inspire legislation or systemic change that protects kids like him.

Perhaps.