WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A North Carolina man is turning down an opportunity at a lifesaving kidney transplant, because the hospital is requiring he be vaccinated against COVID before the procedure.
Chad Carswell is a double amputee and has been undergoing dialysis up to three times a week. His kidney is functioning at four percent.
Carswell said he was going through the transplant process at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem when he was told he would need to be vaccinated in order to move forward.
"They said the last thing we need talk about is your vaccination status," Carswell said. "And that's when I politely told him there was nothing really to talk about. It wasn't up for debate that I wasn't getting it. And then he told me, you know you'll die if you don't get it. And I said I'm willing to die."
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.