August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month!

National Minority Donor Awareness Month is an initiative to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ and tissue donation, focusing primarily on African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American communities.

Our award winning #DonationNeedsDiversity initiative honors the generosity of multicultural donors and their families, while also underscoring the critical need for people from diverse communities to register as organ and tissue donors.

Click here to get involved and to download resources!

People of all ages, races, and ethnicities can help save and enhance lives by registering as organ and tissue donors.  

People of most races and ethnicities in the U.S. donate in proportion to their representation in the population. The need for transplant in some groups, however, is disproportionately high, frequently due to a high incidence of conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes, both of which can lead to the need for a kidney transplant.

A greater diversity of donors may potentially increase access to transplantation for everyone.

About Organ and Tissue Donation

• People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors
• The decision to be an organ donor will in no way affect the level of medical care for a sick or injured person.
• Organs are matched according to medical need, compatibility and location. A patient’s income, race or social status is never taken into account.
• Most religions support organ donation and consider it the greatest gift a person can give. 
• One organ and tissue donor can save 8 lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others. 

Multicultural Communities in Donation and Transplantation

• Make up 60% of people currently on the U.S. transplant waiting list.
• Make up 50% of people who received organ transplants in 2023.
• Make up 33% of deceased and living organ donors in 2023.
• 27% of people waiting for lifesaving organ transplants nationally are African American.
• 23% of people waiting for lifesaving organ transplants nationally are Hispanic/Latino.
• African Americans are nearly four times more likely to develop end-stage kidney disease than Caucasians while Hispanics/Latinos are more than twice as likely.