NY Organ Donor Network Increases Awareness In Black History Month

As the nation prepares to celebrate Black History Month in February, the New York Donor Network, in its continued commitment to increase awareness about organ and tissue donation in the black community in the New York metro region, has announced that it is establishing a formal partnership with the National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP). Through its agreement, the Donor Network will replicate successful education models implemented by MOTTEP in other states and distribute their materials in the New York metro area.

MOTTEP, founded in 1991 by Dr. Clive Callender, a transplant surgeon and professor of surgery at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC, seeks to educate blacks about organ and tissue transplantation. It also aims to empower black communities to develop education programs which allow them to become involved in addressing the shortage of donors. MOTTEP’s national office is headquartered at Howard University Hospital.

To celebrate Black History month in a meaningful way, the New York Organ Donor Network is urging people of African descent to find out all they can about organ and tissue donation. The Donor Network asks black New Yorkers to sign their driver’s licenses, enroll in the New York State organ and Tissue donor Registry, and tell their families about their decisions to become donors.

During Black History Month, nu-merous community groups are lending their support to the Donor Network’s efforts to reach out to blacks on the topic of organ and tissue donation.

Currently there are more than 87,000 Americans on the national list awaiting organs. Of these approximate-ly 23,500 or 27 percent are black.

In comparison, the national census data indicates that blacks only comprise 13 percent of the population.

In New York State, of the more than 8,000 that are awaiting organ transplants, approximately 2,400 or 30 percent are black. In addition, thousands more need life-saving or life-improving tissues such as eyes, bone and skin.

Each day, 17 Americans die because of the critical organ shortage. Every 13 minutes another person is added to the list of people nationwide awaiting life-saving transplants.

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