Multicultural Outreach
Gift of Life connects with multicultural 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 transplant recipients, living donors, donor family members, community volunteers and interested individuals working to educate the community about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
For a FREE presentation, materials or participation in your multicultural affairs event and to help share valuable information about organ and tissue donation in your community, contact Terri C. Medina, Multicultural Outreach Coordinator at 1-800-DONORS-1 ext. 1172 or e-mail tmedina@donors1.org.
National Minority Donor Awareness Day - Gospel and Jazz Concert, Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010
Nationally, minorities comprise 54 percent of those waiting for life-saving transplants. And as that number continues to grow, Gift of Life Donor Program encourages those in the multicultural community to take action - talk to your family about organ and tissue donation but more importantly, designate your donation decision on your state's organ donor registry.
Each year, Gift of Life Donor Program celebrates August 1 as National Minority Donor Awareness Day, a time to make a special appeal to multicultural communities and ask for their support in saving lives through organ and tissue donation.
This year, the Multicultural Affairs Committee will host its 14th Annual Gospel and Jazz Concert to celebrate the nationwide initiative. The FREE event will be held at Yesha Fellowship Hall, 2308 Snyder Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145 at 5 p.m. featuring The Ensemble of Calvary Baptist Church, the winner of the "2009 How Sweet the Sound Tour," Enon Baptist Church Youth Choir, Bethany Missionary Baptist Church Footsteps of Praise Dance Ministry and the Philadelphia Clef Club Student Jazz Ensemble. The event is open to the public with plenty of free parking.
For more information about Gift of Life Donor Program's Gospel and Jazz Concert please contact Terri C. Medina at 1-800-DONORS-1 ext. 1172 or tmedina@donors1.org.
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 tissue donation with family and friends?
- Ninety-one (91) percent of Americans support organ donation, but only 34 percent of Americans know how to become a donor in their state.
- Eighteen (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.
