|
|
THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE OF THE MADISON TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FEATURES |
|
|
|
National Minority Donor Awareness Day to be observed Aug. 1 National Minority Awareness Day will be observed Friday, Aug. 1, in hopes of emphasizing the importance of organ, tissue, and eye donation to all ethnic groups. The annual observance reaches out to minorities and focuses on the various fears and obstacles associated with donation. The campaign’s goal is to promote healthy living and disease prevention, as well as increase the number of people who sign donor cards, have discussions with their families about their wishes, and become donors. Minority Donor Awareness Day is also aimed at increasing awareness of the behaviors that may lead to the need for transplantation, such as smoking, alcohol and substance abuse, and poor nutrition. “This day is a wonderful opportunity to show people of diverse cultures the many options and benefits associated with donation,” says Nancy Holland, President and CEO of RTI Donor Services of Allograft Resources Division in Madison, part of a national network of tissue recovery organizations. She points out that research conducted by the National Coalition of Donation reveals a lack of awareness of the large number of African Americans awaiting a transplant and a fear of not receiving the best medical treatment in a life-threatening situation if they had identified themselves as donors. Other National Coalition research found that much of the Hispanic population is uninformed or misinformed about donation and transplantation. More than 91,600 American men, women, and children await life-saving organ transplants and hundreds of thousands more could be helped by tissue transplants. In Wisconsin, of the 1,552 people on the waiting list, 514 are minority patients. Brochures on donation that focus on African Americans may be obtained by calling toll-free (866) 538-7448. Spanish language brochures are available by calling toll-free (800) 485-8432. Additional information on donation may be accessed through the Internet at www.shareyourlife.org and www.rtidonorservices.org. A Spanish language website is available at www.donevida.org. Accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks, RTI Donor Services-Allograft Resources Division is part of a national network of tissue recovery agencies. Allograft Resources Division provides community education, donor family services and awareness programs, and donated human tissue recovery services to 87 hospitals and health-care facilities, as well as to funeral homes, coroners, and medical examiners throughout Wisconsin, Indiana, the Upper Peninsula or Michigan, and Northern Illinois.
END OF FEATURE STORIES |
|
|
|
|
