Four Reasons Why More Multicultural Heroic Donors Are Needed

Each August, Nevada Donor Network is honored to celebrate and recognize National Multicultural Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM). We have a shared understanding that there is diversity without fragmentation and unity without uniformity. We are stronger together. Organ, eye and tissue donation is a powerful act of compassion and selflessness. One person can save the lives of eight others through organ donation and heal the lives of 75 or more through tissue donation. It truly is the ultimate gift that has the potential to save lives, restore health and bring hope to those who face a plethora of critical illnesses.

Donation rates vary in different multicultural communities and there is a powerful opportunity to change this in underrepresented communities where donation rates remain disproportionately low. Nevada Donor Network believes that observances like National Multicultural Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM) bring awareness to these facts while inspiring others to consider this incredible opportunity. Most of the time, all it takes is further education or hearing a touching story that changes someone’s decision to register as a donor. It is all about meeting individuals we serve where they are and starting conversations that create meaningful change. 

Currently, in the United States, more than 106,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant and 61% come from a multicultural background (according to the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS)). Even with this dire need, donor designation (when someone chooses to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor) remains low in these communities. When more multicultural individuals decide to register, this improves equity in transplantation. Unfortunately, multicultural communities often face a higher risk of organ failure and longer wait times; therefore, greater donor diversity can improve compatibility, shorten wait times and lead to better outcomes according to the Mayo Clinic.  

Here are four reasons why it is important for people in multicultural communities to become registered donors:

1. One Heroic Donor Can Save Eight Lives Through Organ Donation and Heal 75 or More Lives Through Tissue Donation- When one person says yes, they bring hope to the over 106,000 people waiting for a second chance through organ donation, which includes nearly 700 Nevadans. Additionally, you can impact so many more through tissue donation. The gift of life and healing is immeasurably impactful. It helps entire families, communities and more.
2. Living Donation is Safe and Saves Lives Quickly- Did you know? You can save a life by donating one of your kidneys or a portion of your liver. This is a faster route to transplant, which reduces the wait time for someone who is desperately waiting for the ultimate gift. Kidney donation is the most common type of living donation. If you are an overall healthy person, you can donate one of your two kidneys and go on to live a normal life. A potential living donor will undergo wide-ranging health screenings to ensure that donation is safe for them and will not impact their future health negatively. Read more about a local woman’s experience here!
3. Underrepresented Populations Are More Likely to Need a Transplant- Several conditions that may eventually lead to organ failure are more common in African America, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American communities. This includes diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension and a variety of heart diseases. According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), kidney disease disproportionately affects underrepresented communities. The Mayo Clinic shares that patients that are multicultural face many challenges accessing organ transplantation as a potential transplant recipient and even when it comes to donating. Bringing awareness to organ, eye and tissue donation in these communities gives everyone the opportunity to be educated about saving and healing lives. This fosters conversations that improve access to transplantation for patients and allows each person the chance to leave behind a legacy of hope.
4. A Closer Match Can Lead to Better Outcomes- While we know that organs are not matched by ethnicity or race, blood types and tissue markers tend to be more compatible amongst those who have shared ancestry. This means that potential organ transplant recipients may have better outcomes when a heroic donor comes from a similar ethnic or racial background.

When you register to be a heroic organ, eye and tissue donor it is a simple yet powerful act that can change the lives of so many. It not only saves and heals the lives of recipients, but it also impacts their loved ones. We encourage each of you reading this blog to continue to learn more about donation and inspire others whom you care about to become a hero like you! Register now using this link.