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Diaranson 17 Maart 2021

Newsom will appoint Black woman if Feinstein retires early

he said during a interview on her spokesman, said in an under consideration for the
MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” email Monday. Harris seat and would likely
when asked if he would name Were she to retire before be on Newsom’s list were
a Black woman to the seat if her term is up, the governor he to get a second Senate ap-
given the chance. would appoint a replace- pointment. The two orga-
ment. Newsom recently nized a Monday news confer-
Feinstein, 87, is the oldest held that power after then- ence defending him against a
sitting U.S. senator. She won California Sen. Kamala Har- pending recall effort.
her sixth election in 2018 and ris was elected vice president. Feinstein, meanwhile, has
said she plans to serve out He faced competing pressure recently drawn the ire of
her full term. But she’s re- to name a Latino and a Black progressives for some of her
cently faced questions about woman and eventually chose actions, including her role in
her memory and pushback Alex Padilla, making him Supreme Court Justice Amy
from Democrats who see her California’s first Latino U.S. Coney Barrett’s confirmation
as too friendly with Republi- senator. hearing just before last year’s
cans. She said in December Harris’ departure left Black election. She was seen hug-
(AP) — California Gov. she retires before her term she wasn’t planning on retir- women without any repre- ging Republican Sen. Lind-
Gavin Newsom said Mon- is up in 2024. ing early and defended her sentation in the 100-member sey Graham and praising his
day he’d appoint a Black job performance. chamber. U.S. Reps. Barbara committee leadership during
woman to replace U.S. “We have multiple names in “The senator has no plans to Lee of Oakland and Karen the hearings as he was in a
Sen. Dianne Feinstein if mind and the answer is yes,” step down,” Tom Mentzer, Bass of Los Angeles were tight reelection battle.

Family of boy killed at Disney World urges organ donation

(AP) — A Nebraska cou- saw those families struggling prepared to lose a child ever. said University of Nebraska people. “I’m so grateful that
ple whose 2-year-old son with very limited resources The loss is unbearable,” Matt Medical Center Chancellor I have this to help me in my
died tragically at Walt Dis- to care for their children,” Graves said. “Organ donation Dr. Jeffrey Gold, who serves grief process,” Gillock said.
ney World nearly five years Matt and Melissa Graves may seem like a hard choice on the foundation’s board. “It’s such an honor to have
ago wants more families said in a statement. Lane to make. … But people who Even though the foundation been part of that decision and
to consider donating their Thomas Graves was play- donate their child’s organs is small, Gold said he be- to know that these families
children’s organs if their ing on a beach outside Dis- are heroes.” The Graves fam- lieves it can get more people were pleading for a savior
child is ever facing death. ney’s Grand Floridian Resort ily’s foundation is moving to consider organ donation and my daughter was the sav-
and Spa in June 2016 when beyond the small-scale do- with its plan to tell the stories ior. What better honor.”
Matt and Melissa Graves cre- an alligator grabbed him and nations it has been making of parents who donated their Since the foundation was cre-
ated the Lane Thomas Foun- dragged him into the lake. He so far to families with chil- child’s organs and the fami- ated, it has helped pay travel
dation after their son was was gathering sand for a sand dren undergoing transplants lies that received them, and and living expenses for nearly
killed by an alligator in 2016. castle when the alligator at- in Omaha to raise awareness that can make a difference. 100 families being treated in
The Omaha couple said they tacked. Matt Graves jumped nationally about the need “Anything that can be done Omaha. That included do-
decided to focus on pediatric into the water but was unable for pediatric organ donation. to reduce time on these wait- nating $112,275 to 30 fami-
organ donation because they to rescue his son. Lane’s body They cite statistics saying that ing lists for both for adults lies in 2019, according to the
wanted to help other fami- was found 16 hours later. roughly 100, of the nearly and children will be lifesav- foundation’s tax forms.
lies fighting for their chil- At Disney World, a sculp- 2,000 children on the na- ing and produce a stress re- Families of children getting
dren’s lives and they wanted ture of a lighthouse similar to tional transplant waiting list, lief that is immeasurable,” transplants typically have to
to help kids because their son the one the foundation uses die each year while waiting. Gold said. The foundation, spend weeks or months in
loved other children. “Be- as its logo was later erected Finding transplant organs for which has nearly $5 million Omaha after an operation,
cause we know the pain of near where Lane was killed. children is challenging be- in assets and two part-time and the long recovery time
losing a child, we wanted to Matt and Melissa Graves cause the pool of donors is employees, created a public often forces one parent to
focus on an issue where we say they want parents to talk so small. “The real and ever- service announcement fo- take leave from their job or
believe we can help prevent about organ donation long present issue the founda- cused on Lauressa Gillock quit to be with the child. Gil-
other parents from knowing before they ever face the un- tion is trying to address is ... of North Platte, Nebraska, lock said those grants really
our pain. We chose pediatric thinkable prospect of their the donor organ availability meeting the now 7-year-old help families.
organ donation because we child dying. “No parent is which is markedly limited,” boy from McComb, Mis- “The Lane Thomas Foun-
sissippi, who received her dation is amazing to help
daughter’s heart. Gillock said these families that are going
organ donation helped ease through organ donation to
the pain of losing her 3-year- not worry about financials.
old daughter to brain cancer It should never be an issue
in 2015 because she knew her when your child is on their
daughter’s organs helped five deathbed. Never,” she said.