Health
How a Father’s Loss Sparked a Law That’s Saving Lives Through Organ Donation in Argentina
by Catherine Lacovara and Menatalla Ibrahim
This article is part of a reporting project from students at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism on stories from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“Justina lived a normal life. But in 2017, she had to go to the doctor because she was feeling very unwell,” recalls Lo Cane. “That’s when we were told that her heart had reached its limit and that she needed a transplant. That’s when I started asking myself questions.”
As Justina waited in the hospital for her new heart, Lo Cane found that the answer to his questions was to change the law.
“The journey with Justina’s Law was incredibly enriching,” said Lo Cane. “All (legislators) were moved, regardless of their political affiliation.”
Justina died waiting for a heart. But in 2018, Lo Cane and his family helped successfully pass Justina’s law.
“The law simplified the donation and transplant process,” Lo Cane explained.
Unlike the American system where residents often register at the DMV, under the new law, all Argentinians now become organ donors at 18 unless they opt-out.
Physicians like transplant specialist Dr. Pablo Centeno say this new system has been a godsend.
“Justina’s law helped us in two ways. First, it put the topic of donation on the table for families,” said Centeno. “Second, it significantly improved how hospitals address donation, providing us with new tools to facilitate the process.”
While Justina’s law has been embraced by Argentinians, organ donation remains a controversial topic in its medical community, according to Centeno.
“I believe the most significant problems are the low adherence to donation programs within health care institutions,” Centeno said.
Lo Cane says he and his team are currently working to address the lack of compliance in the medical field through education.
“We put together, with educational specialists, a protocol that teaches and explains how to teach about transplant donations in schools,” said Lo Cane. “So we are talking to the Ministry of Education to implement that protocol.”
Lo Cane says he hopes his work will shorten the waiting list for organs. That list includes 16-year-old Miguel Castillo Marin. Both Miguel and his 14-year-old brother, Antonio, have nephronophthisis, a genetic kidney disorder that necessitates the need for transplants.
The boys’ mother, Agustina Zenarruza, reflects on the family’s situation.
“In Antonio’s case, the kidney started working right away,” she said. “In Miguel’s case, for reasons they never fully understood, from day one, it was a struggle. Miguel ended up losing the kidney, rejecting it.”
Justina’s law has made the process easier, but the waiting list for organs is still long.
Miguel Castillo Marin has been waiting for four years for a new kidney, causing further complications
“Last year, Miguel had to have surgery because they had to remove his parathyroid glands,” recalls his mother. “So, the faster the system works to shorten these waits, the better their quality of life will be.”
Lo Cane says stories like Miguel’s and the memory of his daughter, Justina, push him to help save more lives.
“As time passes, I miss more Justina. My pain is bigger,” he says. “But I am happy to feel this way because it is a way to feel it. That’s why I keep going.”
Valeria Lopez contributed.
