Race & organ donation
It’s important to make informed health decisions, including the decision to be an organ and tissue donor
“Because of the passion that she had to give back… and because she was just a giver overall, I, as her wife decided that what better gift than to give in this capacity.”
Shawna Hall, donor advocate
Understand the facts
Diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease, kidney disease and heart disease all disproportionately affect communities of color.
These diseases lead to the need for a life-saving organ transplant. Too many people reach that point. As result, about 60% of patients waiting for lifesaving organ transplants are from minoritized communities.
Through disease prevention and encouraging more people to say yes to organ donation, the goal is to eliminate the waiting list—and eliminate deaths among these patients because an organ donation is not available for them in time.
The more people are willing to register as organ and tissue donors, the more we can increase the chances that we can save these lives.
Donated organs are not matched with recipients according to race or ethnicity. Transplants can be successful regardless of the ethnicity of the donor and recipient. However, the chance of longer-term survival may be greater if the donor and recipient are closely matched in terms of their shared genetic background.
Impact on the community
Although race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or gender expression, income, celebrity and social status are not considered when matching organs and tissues, a greater diversity of donors may increase access to transplantation for people of all ethnicities.
Organ Donation and the Need in Black communities
- Black individuals make up approximately 14% of the U.S. population, and 27% of all patients waiting for life-saving organ transplants in the United States.
- Of the more than 28,000 Black patients on the national waiting list, more than 90% are waiting for a kidney transplant. Black Americans are nearly four times more likely to develop end-stage kidney disease than Whites.
- In 2023 in Illinois: Nearly 26% of deceased organ donors and nearly 28% of organ transplant recipients were Black.
- In 2023 in Indiana: About 13% of deceased organ donors and more than 20% of transplant recipients were Black.
Organ Donation and the Need in Hispanic/Latino communities
- About 23% of people waiting for life-saving organ transplants nationally are Hispanic/Latino.
- Of the nearly 24,000 Hispanic/Latine patients on the national waiting list, nearly 90% are waiting for a kidney transplant. Hispanics/Latines are more than twice as likely to develop end-stage kidney disease than Caucasians.
- In 2023 in Illinois: Nearly 16% of deceased organ donors and about 26% of organ transplant recipients were Hispanic/Latine.
- In 2023 in Indiana: About 13% of deceased organ donors and more about 6% of transplant recipients were Hispanic/Latine.
Source: U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), 10/7/2024
Related content
Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT)
The Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation was created with the hope of saving more lives by increasing organ and tissue donation among multicultural communities. For more than 20 years, it has served the needs of multicultural professionals working in the field of transplantation.
National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP)
National MOTTEP‘s mission is to reduce the rate and number of ethnic minority Americans needing organ and tissue transplants. It was the first program of its kind to include a two-fold strategy: 1) increase the number of persons becoming organ/tissue donors and 2) increase awareness of the diseases and behaviors that lead to the need for transplantation in the first place.
National Minority Donor Awareness Month
National Minority Donor Awareness Month is a collaborative initiative of the National (Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation) Multicultural Action Group (NMAG) to save and improve the quality of life of diverse communities by creating a positive culture for organ, eye, and tissue donation.
National Minority Donor Awareness Month* stems from National Minority Donor Awareness Week, founded in 1996 by the National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP), to bring heightened awareness to donation and transplantation in multicultural communities – focusing primarily on African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American communities.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Myths regarding donation continue to be major barriers preventing many Hispanics from becoming registered donors. During Hispanic Heritage Month, Gift of Hope joins the national Donate Life community in celebrating and honoring the generosity of Hispanic donors and their families while underscoring the critical need for people from this diverse community to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.
Hispanic Heritage Month, established in 1988 in the United States, aligns with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries. It celebrates the contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities, honoring figures such as civil rights leader Cesar Chavez and cultural icon Selena Quintanilla. This month fosters awareness, appreciation, and unity by educating the public on the rich diversity of Hispanic and Latinx cultures, promoting inclusivity, and recognizing their significant impact on American society.
