Southwest Transplant Alliance Invites Texans to Help Make Organ Donation More Equitable for Multicultural Communities
In observance of National Multicultural Donor Awareness Month, STA encourages the community to learn about the disparities in organ donation and take action to help save lives
DALLAS – Aug. 1, 2023 – Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA), a leading organ procurement organization serving 89 Texas counties, invites Texans to observe National Multicultural Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM) by sharing education and taking action to make donation more equitable for communities of color.
Observed every August, NMDAM is a collaborative initiative of the National Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Multicultural Action Group (NMAG) created to save and improve the quality of life of communities of color by creating a positive culture around organ donation, which has an incredible impact. Just one donor can save up to eight lives through the gift of organ donation and heal 75 more through tissue donation.
Nationally, communities of color, specifically Black and Hispanic populations, experience a higher need for organ transplants. Yet, these communities are underrepresented on the donor registry. This disparity is due in part to historic and systemic factors, including inequitable access to healthcare, lack of trust in medical systems and the prevalence of myths about the donation process.
Regional communities are also impacted. Currently, more than 10,000 Texans are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, with people of color representing a large portion of that need. An independent survey of STA’s service area found:
Support for organ donation is lowest among Black respondents out of all demographics surveyed
More than half of Hispanic respondents knew at least one person who needed a transplant
More Hispanic and Black respondents believe race plays a role in whether someone receives an organ transplant, compared to non-Black and non-Hispanic respondents (MYTH)
Communities of color believe social or financial status determines someone’s chance of receiving a lifesaving transplant at a higher rate than white respondents (MYTH)
“This August, I’d like to remind Texans that the waitlist isn’t made up of strangers – they’re our neighbors, teachers, coaches, elders, members of our faith communities and more,” said STA President and CEO Brad Adams. “The need is all around us, but so is hope. A more diverse donor pool helps everyone on the waitlist, and every Texan can play a part in making that happen.”
STA encourages Texans to help save and heal lives by:
Learning more about the donation process at organ.org/how-donation-works (Para información en español, visita organ.org/espanol)
Viewing stories of local families impacted by donation at organ.org/1yes
Registering your decision to be a donor at donatelifetexas.org/register/
Sharing your wishes with your loved ones
About Southwest Transplant Alliance
Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA) is a nonprofit organization based in Dallas, Texas, that saves lives by fulfilling the gifts of organ and tissue donation. Founded in 1974, STA has facilitated more than 35,000 organs for recovery and enhanced the lives of tens of thousands of people through tissue recovery. STA is among the largest of 56 federally designated, nonprofit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States and is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Established in 2018, the STA Foundation provides care for families, community education, and research in transplant science. STA serves communities in North Texas, Beaumont, Bryan/College Station, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Galveston, Midland/Odessa, Temple, Tyler and Wichita Falls. For more information, go to organ.org. Para información en español, visita organ.org/espanol.
###
CONTACT:
Adriana Cruz
214-635-3027