12% of the U.S. population is African American
35% of patients awaiting kidney transplants are African American
0 lives will be saved if you do nothing.
DONATE LIFE

Nearly 100,000 people currently await the Gift of Life in the United States today, and of those, almost 50% are minorities. Minorities suffer higher rates of diabetes than Caucasians – often resulting in organ failure and the need for a kidney transplant. In fact, Native-Americans have the highest rates of diabetes, followed by African-American and Hispanics. (Source: American Diabetes Association).

Matching organs between members of the same ethnic and racial group often enhances successful transplantation, and an increased number of organ donors will always result in more patients receiving a second chance at life. Unfortunately, many minorities don’t ever think about donation, and as a result, they never share their wishes with family members. This leaves family members at a loss when facing the decision to allow donation after the loss of a loved one. Make a decision about organ donation, and share your decision with your family. Sharing your decision is the most important step towards increasing organ donation and saving lives.

More important facts about minorities and organ donation:

• One in five Americans has hypertension (high blood pressure).
  It is most prevalent in the African-American community; 1 of every 3 African-Americans has high blood pressure.
• Diabetes and hypertension can lead to kidney failure resulting in dialysis and/or the need for a transplant.
• Limiting foods that are high in salt, cholesterol and saturated fats help to lower the risk of hypertension.
• Regular visits to the doctor and frequent monitoring of blood pressure can identify problems early, and can help to avoid long term complications, like kidney failure due to hypertension or diabetes.
• An increase in organ donation among minorities can lead to earlier and more successful transplants for patients, especially African-Americans.