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Sandra Jensen, a woman with Down syndrome, is denied access to life-saving organ transplants.

1995

The Story of Disability Justice
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Jensen is denied a life-saving heart and lung transplant despite being referred by her provider and approved by her insurance. She is told that it is because people with Down syndrome are considered "categorically inappropriate" for heart and lung transplants.

A second hospital finds that there is no medical reason to exclude her from receiving a transplant, but still denies her the surgery because they do not feel she would be able to complete the "complex" post-operative care required to preserve the transplanted organs.

This sparks a national outcry, making visible the discrimination and barriers directed against people with disabilities who need organ transplants.