Secretary of State Candidate, David Moore, Promotes Organ Donation
Chicago, IL - In response to August being National Minority Donor Awareness Month, Illinois Secretary of State candidate, David Moore, joined forces with Gift of Hope to hold a public education forum about the benefits of organ donation in the Auburn Gresham community. One of the responsibilities of the secretary of state’s office is to maintain
the Illinois’ official registry of residents who wish to donate organs and/or tissue upon their death.
In 2016, African Americans accounted for 30% of the overall organ donation waiting list, and 33% of the kidney list, despite being only 13% of the U.S. population.
Survey and focus groups found many African Americans cited fear their organs would not be usable due to high blood pressure, heart disease and other prevalent ailments in the Black community. Researchers concluded that often it is a simple matter of educating people about organ donation, which is what secretary of state candidate David Moore is doing throughout the month of August.
“Of all the deaths only 2% qualify for organ or tissue donation and so many factors have to occur to make the process work,” explained Olivia Fox, community outreach specialist for Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network. “That speaks to why we need everyone to register to increase the opportunity for an organ donation to happen.”
Gift of Hope is one of the state’s Organ Procurement Organizations. Late last year, new reforms to address racial inequities in access to health care went into effect that target government contractors that run the organ donation system. In a new report, Inequity in Organ Donation, it revealed the organ donation system is failing patients
and donor families of color through every phase of the process—from getting on the waitlist, to finding a match, to becoming a donor.
There are almost 110,000 Americans waiting for organ transplants, with the vast majority suffering from kidney failure. African Americans are three times as likely to suffer from kidney failure as whites, yet are significantly less likely to be put on the transplant waitlist, as well as less likely to receive a lifesaving transplant even once they are.
Latino, Native American and Asian American populations also are less likely to receive a transplant than their white counterparts. Consequently, donor advocates are trying to steer kidney donors of all races toward living donations.
Organs such as kidneys, segments of the liver and portions of the pancreas and intestine can be donated with the donor continuing to live a healthy life. Unfortunately, African Americans are the least likely group to receive a kidney donation from a living donor, which is why public education campaigns are needed.
As secretary of state, Moore said he would make public education about organ donation a priority, especially in communities of color. He will work with federal elected officials and OPOs statewide to make sure they are being racially sensitive to all patients. He will work to make sure staff at OPOs are diverse and reflect the patient community.
Last, Moore said he will make sure Latino, Asian and Native American populations receive factual information in their own language and from trusted sources about organ donation.
Research has shown that investing in educating communities of color about the facts of organ donation can produce major dividends for individuals, families and the state.
“We have to start talking about this to children as young as 8 or 9 years old, because by the time they get grown they have made up their minds about what they’re going to do as it relates to organ donation until it happens to them,” said Moore. “We want people to be educated not just in August, but all year round. Let’s educate, before it’s too late.”
Gift of Hope is asking Illinois residents to text the word HOPE to 51555 to join the donor registry at their convenience.
