A man in North Carolina has revealed he would rather die than get a Covid-19 vaccine that is required for a live-saving organ transplant operation.
Chad Carswell is in desperate need of a kidney transplant and has already had multiple heart surgeries, according to Fox News.
One of his kidneys is currently operating at 4 per cent and he needs dialysis three times a week.
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However, the hospital he's in said it's a requirement for all transplant patients to be fully vaccinated in order for the operation to go ahead.
Even though refusing the jab will mean certain death for the double amputee, he's standing by his decision.
"I was born free. I will die free. I'm not changing my mind," Chad told WSOC.
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"I've had conversations with my family and everybody that's close to me. They know where I stand, and it'll not be a situation that occurs that I will choose to change my mind on this topic."
He recalled the conversation he had with physicians at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital about the situation.
"He said, 'The last thing we need to talk about is your vaccination status,'" Carswell said.
"And that's when I politely told him there was nothing really to talk about it, it wasn't up for debate [and] that I wasn't getting it.
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"Then, he told me, 'You know you'll die if you don't get it.' And I said, 'I'm willing to die.'"
In addition to Carswell needing to be vaccinated, the person who donates the kidney will also have to be fully vaxxed.
The hospital is standing by its decision and says its policy is in line with other healthcare facilities across the United States.
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The Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital said organ transplant patients are at a 'high risk for severe illness if they don't have preexisting immunity prior to being transplanted' and that's why they need to ensure they're fully vaccinated.
Fox News says Carswell has already had Covid-19 twice and more than 100 people have offered one of their own kidneys to him since his story went viral.
Chad believes the vaccine should be a choice rather than forced upon him.
He's now looking at his options and might try going to another hospital to see if they will do the surgery, however it could be difficult to find one that doesn't adhere to the same policy.
Featured Image Credit: WSOCTopics: News, vaccine, Covid-19