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Transcript: Diane Gilbert

In respect of cultural tradition, Choctaw do not donate organs or blood

[Lindberg:]
How good is the Choctaw population in donation of kidneys?
[Gilbert:]
They don’t donate.
[Lindberg:]
Can’t receive if you don’t donate.
[Gilbert:]
I know, but I have never known of a Choctaw to donate, or even blood—
[Lindberg:]
Okay, but you grew up in the tribe, so you have some insight into that. Why is that?
[Gilbert:]
Yes.
[Lindberg:]
Why is it? I mean there’s troubles getting organ donations everywhere, but I mean is there some religious our cultural reason for it?
[Gilbert:]
I believe it’s just a cultural thing. It’s they just believe when you die all of your parts go with you. They want all of your body parts to go with you, and so I believe that’s why they don’t donate, or donate blood.
[Lindberg:]
But you can have a brother or a sister who’s going to die without that.
[Gilbert:]
True.
[Lindberg:]
What about that?
[Gilbert:]
They’ll accept other donations.