Tuesday, July 29, 2008

August 1st is National Minority Donor Awareness Day



The Healing Project encourages all members of our community to particpate in organ and tissue donation programs. It is a gift of life.

August 1 is National Minority Organ Donor Awareness Day, and the National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program (National MOTTEP®) was established to encourage the minority communities to actively particpate in these programs to save lives.

Why is it so important to have more minority organ donors?

• More than 83,000 persons are currently on the national transplant waiting list.

• 16 people die each day waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.

• More than 50% of people waiting for transplants are racial/ethnic minorities including: 23,558 African Americans; 13,059 Hispanics/Latinos; and 5,158 Asians/Pacific Islanders.

• Patients in need of a transplant are more likely to find a genetically compatible match within their own racial/ethnic group.

• Minority donors account for only about 25% of the available donor pool.

National MOTTEP® is the National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program. It is the first program of its kind in the country designed to:

Educate minority communities on facts about organ and tissue transplantation
Empower minority communities to develop transplant education programs which allow them to become involved in addressing the shortage of donors
Increase minority participation in organ/tissue transplant endeavors including signing organ donor cards
Encourage and increase family discussions related to organ and tissue donation
Increase the number of minorities who donate organs and tissues


The mission of the National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program, (MOTTEP®) is to decrease the number and rate of ethnic minority Americans needing organ and tissue transplants. MOTTEP® will achieve its mission by implementing a national information and education campaign that emphasizes both prevention and intervention strategies that result in:

healthier life styles and behavioral patterns
increased number of minority donors and transplant recipients
increased number of family discussions regarding organ and tissue transplants
increased number of minority donor pledges


Why is there a National MOTTEP®?
National MOTTEP® was originally established to increase the number of minority organ and tissue transplant donors. The mission of National MOTTEP® was later revised to incorporate a preventive focus by addressing the diseases and behaviors which lead to the need for transplantation such as diabetes, hypertension, alcohol and substance abuse, poor nutrition and lack of exercise.

National Minority Donor Awareness Day
National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program

Ambulatory Care Center
2041 Georgia Avenue NW, Suite 3100
Washington, DC 20060
(800) 393-2839
(202) 865-4888
(202) 865-4880 Fax
nbbrooks@nationalmottep.org
http://www.nationalmottep.org/
Materials available
Contact: Norman Brooks

No comments: