Multicultural Outreach
Gift of Life connects with minority grassroots community organizations and religious institutions to provide resource materials, speakers and other outreach opportunities to encourage people to save lives by supporting organ, tissue, and eye donation.
Hundreds of volunteers support Gift of Life's annual Dash for Donor Awareness.
The Multicultural Affairs Committee is comprised of living donors, donor recipients, community volunteers and interested individuals working to "Get the Word Out."
If you like to raise awareness and get involved, contact Community Relations at 215-557-8090 or e-mail Multicultural Outreach Coordinator Lynne Williams.
National Minority Donor Awareness Day
African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americas - all minorities in many facets but one. On the transplant waiting list, they are the majority.
Nationally, minorities comprise 54 percent of those waiting for life-saving transplants. And as that number continues to grow, Gift of Life encourages those in minority communities to take action - talk to your families about donation, and most importantly, sign up as an organ and tissue donor.
Each year, Gift of Life celebrates August 1 as National Minority Donor Awareness Day, a time to make a special appeal to minority communities and ask for their support in saving lives through organ and tissue donation.
Statistics Among Minority Communities
Organ Donation among African Americans
- African Americans make up 13 percent of the region's overall population, but represent 46 percent of patients on the kidney transplant waiting list.
- African Americans represent 17 percent of deceased donors and 12.7 percent of living donors to date.
- Of the more than 2,995 African Americans waiting for transplants this region, 68 percent are waiting for kidney transplants.
- In the 25-44 year-old age group, the rate of African Americans who have kidney failure caused by high blood pressure is 20 times higher than white Americans.
Organ Donation among Hispanics
- Hispanics represent 16 percent of patients on the transplant waiting list, most waiting for kidneys.
- Hispanics represent 11 percent of deceased donors to date.
Why is it important to discuss organ and itssue donation with family and friends?
- 91 percent of Americans support organ donation, but only 34 percent of Americans know how to become a donor in their state.
- 18 people die each day waiting for life saving transplants.
- One person can enhance or save more than 50 lives through organ donation.
- Between 10,000 and 12,000 people die annually who are considered medically suitable for organ donation, yet only an estimated 6,000 donate.
