#BlackHistoryReimagined, Day 10

In this series, I re-imagine the lives of Black folks gone too soon.

#BlackHistoryReimagined, Day 10: Dr. Susan Moore, a physician born on October 2, 1968, is most well-known for documenting her stay at Indiana University North Hospital after receiving a COVID-19 diagnosis. A Michigan native, Moore graduated from Sexton High School in Lansing in 1986 and from Kettering University in Flint with a degree in engineering. She then studied at the University of Michigan Medical School. In late November, Moore was diagnosed with the coronavirus. She began documenting her treatment via Facebook as she was angered by what she perceived to be mistreatment by hospital staff due to her being a Black woman. Her CT scans showed enlarged lymph nodes, fluid, and infiltration in her lungs. The doctor previously told her the chest X-ray was normal and said she did not qualify for Remdesivir after receiving two treatments, her post read. She also said she had been denied narcotics for her pain, but later received some. She raised her concerns to the chief medical officer who assured her she would receive the best care possible, however, Moore still believed the doctor was set to discharge her too soon.

On December 20, 2020, after having been admitted to another hospital to receive unbiased care, Moore was set to return home, COVID free. Known for being an unapologetically helpful person, she set about to create a better patient advocacy program, one that would specifically look to support Black women receiving hospital care. Due to the national trending interest in Black women, she was able to receive significant funding for this program from major companies and launched it at the top of this month. The program allows for a specific format of emergency reporting in incidents of potential mistreatment of Black women patients, diversity training led by Black women, and a community liaison to serve alongside patient advocates.

[#BlackHistoryReimagined is a series of posts that re-imagines the lives of Black folks gone too soon, by writing a story that does not end in their deaths. Throughout this month, I implore you to go on this imaginary journey with me and think of what could have been. The stories are based on the people’s real lives; the ending has been altered to allow them to live out whatever they were actually working on or could have done had they been given more time on earth.]