National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month (NMDAM) 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.
NMDAM stems from National Minority Donor Awareness Week, founded in 1966 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, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American communities.
During NMDAM, LifeLink will bring increased awareness to the need for more organ, eye, and tissue donors within multicultural communities, provide donation education, inspire donor registration, and promote healthy living and disease prevention to reduce the need for transplantation.
Did You Know?
- Multicultural communities make up about 60% of the U.S. transplant waiting list with African Americans and Hispanics being in the highest need.
- Transplants can be successful regardless of ethnicity of the donor and recipient. However, the chance of longer-term survival may be greater if donor and recipient share similar genetics.
- Minorities often experience higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease which can contribute to organ failure, especially kidney failure.
- African Americans are 3 times more likely to suffer from kidney failure than Caucasians. Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.
How to Celebrate NMDAM with LifeLink
- Give hope and save lives by registering your donation decision. You can register online at donatelifeflorida.org/register. Don’t forget to share your decision with family and friends.
- Visit a LifeLink donation table at local community events in August!
- Listen to local organ recipients and donor families as they share their personal connections to donation on the Gift of Life podcast or wherever podcasts can be found.
- Follow LifeLink social media to learn more about NMDAM and share with your friends and family! Visit Donate Life America for free social media graphics and materials for you to use!