How Gift of Life is working with minorities

Gift of Life has a special partnership with a national organization focusing exclusively on educating minority communities about organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program, or MOTTEP, exists in 15 cities, including Detroit, where it has been using a community-based approach to increase the number of minority organ and tissue donors in Michigan since 1995.

MOTTEP serves the African American, American Indian, Hispanic/Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander populations statewide.

 Rain didn't dampen spirits at LifeWalk 2009.

Why is it important?

Organ donation is critical to the minority community because minorities in general and African Americans in particular are disproportionately affected by diseases that often lead to organ failure including diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

Minorities do donate, but not enough to meet the urgent need. Some may be reluctant to sign the Michigan Organ Donor Registry because of:

• Religious beliefs and superstitions
• Mistrust of the medical community
• Lack of awareness
• Racism
• Fear of premature death

Click here for more about faiths and their specific stances on organ donation.

Key facts about minorities and donation and transplantation:

• Half of all patients waiting for transplants are of an ethnic minority.
• Nearly half of those needing kidney transplants in Michigan are African American.
• 25 percent of the available donor pool are minorities.

Michigan minorities waiting for organs

In 2009, the generosity of Michigan organ donors resulted in 864 transplants and saved hundreds of lives. Transplants so far in 2010 total 312. As of June 1, 2,961 Michigan residents are waiting for organs. More than 1,200 of those are African American, Middle Eastern or Hispanic.
 

                      African American         Middle Eastern           Hispanic

Kidney                       1,011                                 35                           80
Liver                              49                                   2                            11
Heart                            18                                   1                             0
Lung                               9                                   1                             2
Kidney/pancreas            14                                   0                             1
Kidney/liver                    11                                   0                             0
Pancreas                         1                                   0                             0
Kidney/heart                    2                                   0                              0
Heart/liver                        0                                    0                             2
Kidney/lung                      1                                   0                             0
 

Total                       1,103                                 39                            96                     

LIFE Walk/Run       

Every year, MOTTEP raises awareness and money for organ and tissue donation education by sponsoring a walk on historic Belle Isle. LIFE Walk is the largest organ and tissue awareness event in Michigan. The 2009 walk raised more than $30,000 and more than 1,200 runners and walkers are expected for the 2010 race set for Saturday, July 24.

For more information about LIFE Walk or to register for the event, click here.

For more information

To learn more about minorities and organ donation or how to get involved to help your community, email MOTTEP Director Remonia Chapman or call her at 313.393.2446.