Organ donation is of vital importance to communities of color

Racial and ethnic differences in transplant need are especially noticeable in relation to kidney disease. (Getty image)

Multiethnic communities are disproportionately affected by the health burdens and diseases that lead to organ failure and result in the need for an organ transplant. Currently, 61% of all patients on the national organ transplant waiting list are non-white and are at risk of dying if the needed organ is not donated and transplanted in time.

Racial and ethnic differences in transplant need are especially noticeable in relation to kidney disease. In the U.S., over 800,000 people suffer from end-stage kidney disease with Black individuals nearly four times more likely to develop kidney disease than Whites. Hispanics and Native American are more than twice as likely to develop serious kidney disease than Whites.

This is why it is especially important that members of Black, Hispanic, Asian and other non-white communities be informed about organ donation and to consider registering as organ donor, which is the decision to sign up to save the life of others after one passes away.

When someone dies and becomes a donor, their organs are matched to patients on the national transplant wait list based on such factors as blood type, body size, biological markers, how sick they are, distance to where the donor died, and time on the waiting list. Using these factors results in successful transplants from donors of different races and ethnicities.

However, because compatible blood types and biological markers – important factors in matching – tend to be found more commonly among members of the same race or ethnicity, it is very important for there to be diversity in the donor population. This can lead to better matches for transplant recipients and improved long-term survival if donor and recipient are similar in genetic background.

While non-whites generously made up 34% of donors who donated organs after death in 2023, this still leaves a racial and ethnic imbalance in the pool of donors that can extend the wait times for some patients of color in need of a transplant, many of whom are already face systemic inequalities in access to health care.

August is National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month – and as the Multicultural Community Outreach Coordinator for one of the nation’s largest Organ Procurement Organizations – we recognize this as an important time to celebrate and remember the thousands of organ donors of all backgrounds across the country and throughout New England that made so many life-saving transplants possible. During this month, we take special care to build awareness and educate the community about donation and dispel the falsehoods that can stand in the way of the gift of life.

Cultural myths and misconceptions about organ donation can deter individuals of any racial or ethnic background from considering donation, but these fallacies can harm patients in need.

Here are some facts for all of us to keep in mind:

• A patient’s donor status is never considered by medical professionals when they are trying to save lives.
• Doctors focus on providing the best possible care to a patient regardless of donor registration.
• Every potential donor is evaluated individually; donors are not automatically excluded just because of age or health issues.
• The waitlist allocates organs through a computerized system designed for fairness. Being wealthy or famous does not move a patient up the list.
• The number of non-white patients receiving a transplant from a deceased donor has increased 12 years in a row.

The impact of increasing donation in multiethnic communities does not just result in more life-saving transplants for individuals, the positive impact extends to their spouses, children, parents, co-workers and neighbors. A single donation can affect the lives of hundreds of people personally connected to the transplant recipient themselves.

Further, the act of donation itself fosters a sense of collective responsibility and reinforces the idea that all of us are connected to each other. Simply registering as an organ donor is a sign that we understand none of us can really “go it alone” and that we must rely on one another. Register now at RegisterMe.org .

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