Welcome August by Celebrating National Minority Donor Awareness Week

Observed annually, August 1-7 is National Minority Donor Awareness Week, a nationwide recognition created to increase awareness of the need for more organ, eye, and tissue donors, especially among minorities. Organs and tissue can exceed racial boundaries for transplantation; however, the chances of successful transplantation are much greater when the donor and recipient are ethnically alike. Certain health conditions have higher rates in specific minority groups, calling for more donors within these communities. Currently, there is a large disparity between minority donors and minority transplant candidates. People of color make up 57% of the national transplant waiting list, but only 32% of living and deceased organ donors.  Read more about how the donation matching process works on our Understanding Donation page.

This is a time to encourage people of all backgrounds to register their decision to give the gift of life through organ, cornea and tissue donation. Throughout the week we will be highlighting featured stories of minority donors and recipients from our region! Click on the photos below to read the inspirational stories of some of our local community advocates.