Al B. Sure! Amplifies the Call for Health Equity
Music icon and health advocate Al B. Sure! is using his legendary voice for a mission beyond music. The Grammy-nominated R&B star has stepped into the national spotlight not for a tour or new album, but for something even more vital—championing health equity in organ transplantation. As Executive Chairman of the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HEiTC), Sure! is turning personal struggle into public purpose.
This morning, viewers of Good Day New York saw a different side of the entertainer. With passion and urgency, Al B. Sure! shared his commitment to ensuring equal access to lifesaving transplant care, particularly in communities that have historically been marginalized by the healthcare system. “I’m not here for politics or elections,” he stated emphatically. “I’m here to save lives.”
That mission comes from deeply personal experience. Sure! survived a life-threatening medical crisis involving multi-system organ failure, an ordeal that not only tested his resilience but opened his eyes to the vast inequities faced by patients without the same visibility, resources, or access he had. His story is not just one of survival—but of purpose-driven transformation.
His media tour is no coincidence. Just hours before his morning appearance, Al B. Sure! joined civil rights icon Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber to sound the alarm on Congressional proposals that threaten to cut Medicare and Medicaid funding. These programs are lifelines for millions of Americans—especially those awaiting or recovering from transplants.
“The consequences are unimaginable,” Al B. Sure! warned during the segment. “These cuts would devastate already vulnerable communities. For transplant patients, access to consistent, quality healthcare is not a luxury—it’s a matter of survival.” His voice joined a growing chorus of advocates demanding that policy makers consider the human cost of budget decisions.
The urgency of the moment has galvanized HEiTC and its partners to take bold action. At the National Action Network Annual Convention in New York City last month, HEiTC hosted a powerful fireside chat moderated by Ari Melber. The panel featured Co-Founder Rachel Noerdlinger, Senior Advisors Jennifer Jones Austin and Justin Brannan, and hip-hop artist Freeway—himself a kidney transplant recipient.
The conversation was raw and revealing, confronting the systemic disparities that prevent equitable access to transplantation. From racial bias in donor matching to socio-economic barriers to post-operative care, the discussion spotlighted the complex, structural challenges that disproportionately affect communities of color and low-income patients.
Through events like these, HEiTC is cultivating an ecosystem of advocacy, uniting artists, activists, policymakers, and medical professionals in a shared mission. And the coalition’s reach is growing. One of its key partnerships is with LiveOnNY, the federally designated organ procurement organization for the Greater New York area.
Led by Leonard Achan, Dr. Connie Kristine, and a dedicated team of more than 300 professionals, LiveOnNY is a model for what’s possible when compassion meets coordination. Their work spans public education, hospital collaboration, and complex logistics that help convert organ donations into second chances for patients on the brink.
Al B. Sure! credits organizations like LiveOnNY for providing the kind of leadership that transforms statistics into stories of hope. “They work night and day to make miracles happen,” he said, emphasizing how essential it is to support the front-line teams who make transplantation possible.
The HEiTC is also tapping into the power of pop culture to drive awareness. By involving artists like Freeway and connecting with broader cultural institutions, they’re making sure the conversation about organ equity doesn’t stay confined to hospitals or policy panels—it reaches the barbershops, the churches, the dinner tables.
Amid a healthcare landscape where disparities remain stark, the coalition is also working to influence legislation. By engaging lawmakers and providing data-backed recommendations, HEiTC is not just raising awareness—they’re pushing for concrete policy change that can save lives.
For Al B. Sure!, this is the fight of his life—and for countless others, it may be the fight for their lives. He’s made it clear that this is no temporary campaign. “This is my ministry now,” he told a crowd recently. “I’ve been given a second chance, and I’m going to spend it helping others get theirs.”
The movement is growing, but it needs more voices. The coalition is encouraging individuals, especially those affected by transplantation or organ donation, to share their stories and get involved. Every story told helps humanize the need—and every ally gained brings the goal of equity one step closer.
To learn more about the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition, support the cause, or share your own experience, visit heitc.org and follow their efforts across all social platforms. Lives depend on it.
