National Minority Donor Awareness Week

National Minority Donor Awareness Week
August 1-7, 2015

In its 18th year, National Minority Donor Awareness Week was created to increase awareness of the need for more organ, eye, and tissue donors, especially among minorities. Minorities make up more than half of those currently on the organ donation waiting list, yet in 2014 only 32% of deceased donors were minorities.

Waiting List Candidates by Ethnicity*

*Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).

Data as of May 6, 2015.

The best matches between donors and recipients are between members of the same race. Many people do not register to be an organ donor because of some misconceptions.

Here are some of the facts:

• Registering as an organ donor will not compromise your medical care
• Families do not pay for donation costs
• An open casket funeral is still possible after donation
• All major religions in the US support donation
• Donors are not just the young and the healthy

If you have some questions about organ donation, we encourage you to research your concern.

Here are some references:

• http://www.organdonor.gov/whydonate/facts.html
• The Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation
• http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/science/ethical-issues/play-it-again-organ-donation.html

http://www.nativetimes.com/index.php/life/health/8351-view-of-organ-donation-shifting-in-native-culture

If you decide you would like to become an organ donor, you can register at https://theultimategiftoflife.com/become-organ-donor/.