A disturbing incident at Baptist Health Richmond in Kentucky is drawing national attention and sparking government investigations into organ donation practices after an organ donor, presumed dead, began moving during the organ retrieval process. The patient, identified as Anthony Thomas "TJ" Hoover II, was believed to be brain dead before the scheduled transplant. However, Hoover reportedly “reanimated” and visibly moved on the operating table, according to medical preservationist Natasha Miller.

“He was moving around,” Miller told NPR, recalling the shocking moment when Hoover began thrashing and crying on the table. This unexpected movement led the two surgeons in charge of the organ retrieval to refuse to continue the procedure.

Despite the clear signs of life, Miller said her colleague contacted Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), the organization responsible for coordinating the organ donation. However, she claimed that the KODA supervisor instructed them to proceed with the case, even suggesting they “find another doctor” to perform the surgery if the original surgeons wouldn’t.

In response to these allegations, KODA’s spokesperson stated, “No one at KODA has ever been pressured to collect organs from any living patient,” and further assured that “KODA does not recover organs from living patients.”

Nyckoletta Martin, a former KODA employee, shared a similar experience involving Hoover, claiming that he had also thrashed around during a procedure intended to assess his heart health prior to the donation. Martin told NPR that doctors sedated Hoover after he showed signs of life, further raising concerns about the protocol followed in such situations.

Martin ultimately became a whistle-blower, bringing attention to the incident by submitting a letter to Congress. Her actions have since contributed to a heated debate surrounding the safety and ethics of organ donation procedures. She described the terrifying experience: “Being alive during surgery and knowing that someone is going to cut you open and take your body parts out? That’s horrifying.”

The case has prompted investigations by multiple agencies, including the Kentucky attorney general and the U.S. Health Services and Resources Administration, to determine if any laws or medical guidelines were violated. A spokesperson for Baptist Health Richmond issued a statement affirming that the safety of their patients is a top priority: “We work closely with our patients and their families to ensure our patients’ wishes for organ donation are followed.”

However, a coalition of 1,100 transplant professionals and patients sent their own letter in defense of organ donation organizations, arguing that misinformation is eroding public trust and discouraging potential donors from signing up. They emphasized that stories like Hoover’s, when inaccurately represented, create fear and confusion, impacting the life-saving practice of organ donation.

While KODA continues to deny any misconduct, the case is far from settled, with many questions still unanswered about the protocols followed during the procedure and the events leading up to Hoover’s presumed death. Martin, reflecting on the experience, summed up the gravity of the situation, stating, “Everybody’s worst nightmare” is the possibility of being alive during such a procedure.

As investigations continue, the medical community, government officials, and the public are left to grapple with the implications of this alarming incident and its potential impact on the future of organ donation in the United States.

### #OrganDonation #KentuckyHealth #AnthonyThomasHoover #KODA #Whistleblower #OrganDonationScandal
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