BY JASON COHEN
For 16 years Detective Anita
Moore has dedicated her life to
law enforcement and served the
Bronx. Working in the Special
Victims Unit, she deals with
high profi le cases on a daily basis.
But Moore is only still on
the job because she was the recipient
of an organ donation.
Over 10 years ago, the detective
received the shocking news
that she had a rare genetic condition
threatening her eyesight.
Moore’s only hope for avoiding
blindness was for her to receive
a cornea transplant. Of those
from the Bronx on the organ donor
waiting list, 93% are people
of color, highlighting the disparities
in those communities.
Thankfully, Moore, 38, a
lifelong Soundview resident,
underwent a procedure at Montefi
ore in July 2011 from a cadaver.
With only a quarter of
people in the Bronx registered
as organ donors, compared to
the state average of 43%, Moore
was fortunate to receive her
cornea transplant.
“It’s (organ donation) an opportunity
to make a life changing
decision to impact yourself
and someone else,” she
explained.
However, a year after her
transplant, Moore learned that
her father, Cortez, 70, was in
desperate need of a liver transplant.
After contracting Hepatitis
C during his time serving in
the Vietnam War, it later manifested
into liver cancer threatening
his life. Cortez spent
eight years on the waiting list
until his daughter came to the
rescue.
Knowing how powerful organ
donation is, she offered to
give a portion of her liver to
save her father’s life. Fortunately,
the father-daughter duo
was a match and Moore became
an organ recipient-turned-donor
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M 2 ARCH 12-18, 2021
for her father. Returning to
Montefi ore seven months after
her procedure, Moore donated
60% of her right liver lobe to
her father, giving Cortez a new
lease on life.
She recalled that she was a
bit nervous before donating, but
is glad she did. Today her father
is in good spirits and healthy.
“The surgery for my father
was not that popular,” she
stated. “I was scared.”
Today, the detective
proudly tells her story whenever
she get a chance and
hopes more people in the
Bronx sign up to be organ donors.
Moore also works closely
with LiveOnNY, the offi cial
organ procurement organization
for the greater NY region,
to raise awareness on the issue
communities of color face
when it comes to organ donation.
With nearly 10,000 New
Yorkers on the transplant
waiting list, it is more important
now than ever for the lifesaving
gift of organ donation.
“People usually don’t consider
participating until it
hits home,” she commented.
“I can understand people being
wary about it. You don’t
know what your quality of life
will be after, it is rewarding.
You’re giving somebody the
chance to live again.”
Bronx SVU detective
saving lives on the job and
through organ donation
Det. Anita Moore and her father Cortez, who she donated a portion of her
liver to. Courtesy of Anita Moore