Each August, National Minority Donor Awareness Month highlights the urgent need for organ, eye and tissue donors in multicultural communities and celebrates the lives saved through organ donation. Tennessee Donor Services (TDS) is proud to take part in this national observance by raising awareness, encouraging conversations, and honoring the donors and families who make the gift of life possible.
Across the United States, 60% of the people waiting for a lifesaving transplant are members of multicultural communities, with 28% of those identifying as Black. In Tennessee, that percentage is even higher: 45% of patients waiting are Black.
Organ and tissue donation saves lives every day. Yet, because of the increased prevalence of conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, which can lead to end-stage renal disease and the need for kidney transplants, people of color are disproportionately represented on the waitlist. In fact, African Americans are three times more likely to suffer from kidney failure than white Americans.
Transplant success rates improve when organs are matched between people of the same race and ethnic background. This makes increasing donor registrations in minority communities a matter of necessity and means to saving more lives.
Adam Cowan, a kidney recipient, says his transplant not only saved his life, but gave him a better quality of life. “Dialysis was no joke; I would compare it to being tethered to a leash. I was limited in what I could eat and drink, travel was limited, and treatment days were a bust.”
He says he now has freedom to live because someone chose to donate and give him the gift of life. “Now that I have started my second-year post transplant, I am excited to share my journey. I travel the state as a patient advocate for dialysis patients and people in my community call me with questions and advice, I was finally able to get certification as a Donate Life Ambassador and I can’t wait to reach more people,” said Cowan.
Tennessee Donor Services works year-round to build trust and strengthen relationships in communities of color, listening to community members’ experiences, sharing facts, answering questions, and encouraging informed decisions about donation.
Registering as a donor is a powerful act of compassion and a symbol of hope. It’s a decision that can save and heal lives, giving others the chance to spend more time with their families, follow their dreams, and make lasting memories.
This National Minority Donor Awareness Month, Tennessee Donor Services invites everyone to learn more, talk with their loved ones, and consider joining the organ and tissue donor registry. You can sign up at BeTheGiftToday.com or when renewing your driver’s license or state ID.
As the donor registry becomes more diverse, more lives will be saved.