[ad_1]
Did you know more than 10,000 Texans – including many here in Southeast Texas – are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant? What’s even more astounding is that, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network, a quarter of people waiting are Black and 43% are Latino. And, even though people of color are more likely to need an organ transplant, they’re also less likely to become donors themselves.
As a senior organ recovery coordinator with nearly 30 years of experience in the donation community, I can confidently say that communities of color tend to be more reluctant to say “yes” to organ donation. When I worked in Galveston, I personally saw how my Hispanic community declined the opportunity of donation more often. Now, here in Southeast Texas, I see how the African American community declines the opportunity of donation more than others.
Why is that? Many factors contribute to the disparities we see in organ donation, including general distrust in the health care system, health inequalities and the prevalence of myths. While I can’t personally address all of these barriers, a big part of my job is educating people on what organ donation is and isn’t. Here are the facts:
Medical professionals always provide lifesaving measures to patients, regardless of their donation status.
Race, social or financial status never factor into who receives donated organ or tissue.
Anyone – regardless of age, ethnicity or health status – can register to be a donor.
Almost all religions support donation as an act of service and love.
Organ donors still can have an open-casket funeral, if desired.
Finally, there is no additional cost to families for organ, eye or tissue donation.
Now, you might be wondering, “How does having more people of color registered as donors make a difference?” Well, increased diversity among organ donors can lead to increased access to transplantation for all. Data also supports that the chance of longer-term survival post-transplant may also be improved if the donor and recipient are closely matched in terms of their shared genetic background, something more likely to happen among members of the same race or ethnicity.
The Southwest Transplant Alliance, the nonprofit organ procurement organization working to save lives right here in Beaumont, is dedicated to creating a positive culture for donation and transplantation for all communities. And, everyone can play a part. It’s important that we educate ourselves and others about donation. Together, we can share a new perspective that empowers everyone to become a registered organ donor.
You can learn more about the donation process, hear from Texans impacted by donation and record your decision to be a donor at organ.org/1yes, or in Spanish at organ.org/espanol. You can also say yes to donation by completing a paper form by mail or when you renew your driver’s license or state ID at your local DPS office.
And remember to talk to your loved ones about your decision – you may just inspire them to say yes, too.
Gabe Hernandez is a Senior Organ Recovery Coordinator with the Southwest Transplant Alliance. If you have a possible guest column for The Enterprise, email your idea or the column itself to Opinions@BeaumontEnterprise.com. If you have something to say, we want to hear from you!
[ad_2]
Source link
