BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — A Burke County man’s determination to not obtain the COVID-19 vaccine means he additionally gained’t be getting a much-needed kidney transplant.

Chad Carswell, a double amputee who has undergone a number of main surgical procedures on his coronary heart, now faces a unique battle. Carswell informed Channel 9′s Dave Faherty his kidney is simply working at about 4%.

Dialysis 3 times per week retains him going, however the answer is non permanent.

“Without (a kidney transplant) there’s no telling how much longer I’ll be here, I have to have a kidney to prolong my life,” he mentioned.

Carswell mentioned he has acquired every kind of assessments and scans from Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem in hopes of getting a kidney transplant. Instead, Carswell realized that he and anybody who wished to donate a kidney could be required to be vaccinated earlier than the surgical procedure.

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He mentioned pals and native companies raised cash to fund the transplant. More than 100 folks, Carswell mentioned, have provided to donate a kidney, however due to his vaccination standing, that may’t occur.

Carswell mentioned he gained’t get the vaccine and he’s keen to die over it.

“You will not change your mind?” Faherty requested.

“No sir, I was born free. I will die free. I’m not changing my mind,” Carswell mentioned. “I’ve had conversations with my family and everybody who is close to me and they know where I stand and there will not be a situation that occurs where I’ll change my mind on this topic.”

He mentioned docs and nurses on the hospital spoke with him about getting the vaccine, however he believes it’s a alternative and he doesn’t imagine somebody needs to be pressured to get one.

“That’s when I politely told him there’s nothing to talk about,” Carswell mentioned. “It wasn’t up for debate, I wasn’t getting it. And he told me ‘You know you’ll die if you don’t get it,’ and I told him I’m willing to die.”

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In a press release to Channel 9, the hospital mentioned the coverage is in place to offer safety for the affected person, as a result of transplant sufferers are at excessive threat for extreme sickness in the event that they don’t have pre-existing immunity.

“Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s policy follows the current standard of care in the United States, which is to vaccinate all patients on waiting lists or being evaluated for transplant,” the hospital mentioned.

“We understand that some patients may not wish to be vaccinated,” the assertion continued. “In this case, patients can opt to be evaluated at another transplant center.”

Carswell mentioned he’s taking a look at different hospitals within the Carolinas and past to see in the event that they’ll carry out the surgical procedure.

(WATCH BELOW: Hospital denies coronary heart transplant to unvaccinated man)