National Hispanic Heritage Month

Fact Sheet: Hispanic Statistics

Description:
Celebrated annually from September 15–October 15; National Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to celebrate a culture passionate about life and to learn how that life can be extended to other people. While over 3,000 Hispanics received the gift of life through organ and tissue donation in 2005, strongly held myths regarding donation continue to be the major barrier preventing many Hispanics from becoming organ and tissue donors. Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, Donate Life America focuses on providing the facts and dispelling the myths about organ and tissue donation.

Statistics:

  • The Hispanic community is in desperate need of organ and tissue donors. As of July 2006, there were 14,000 Hispanics registered on the U.S. transplant waiting list.
  • While the most recent U.S. census listed Hispanics as approximately 14% of the total U.S. population, almost 16% or 14,000 of the 92,000 Americans awaiting organ and tissue transplants are Hispanic in 2006.
  • Approximately 51% of all those awaiting organ transplants are minorities.

Barriers:
Strongly held myths and misconceptions are the major barriers that prevent Hispanics from becoming organ and tissue donors. These include:

  • The belief that emergency room doctors will not work as hard to save the life of a person who has indicated he/she wishes to be a donor.
  • A general mistrust of the organ donation process and allocation system.
  • The perception that the rich get preferential treatment
  • The belief that organ and tissue donation is against their religion.
  • A belief that organ donors are unable to have open casket funerals or that they can only be cremated.

Facts:

  • Emergency room doctors are there to save lives and will do everything possible to save one’s life.
  • One’s celebrity or financial status does not play a part in the decision. Organs are allocated based on a variety of medical and logistical factors including blood type, size of organ needed, waiting time, distance between donor and recipient, degree of immune system match and medical urgency, among others.
  • All major religions, including Catholicism, support organ and tissue donation as one of the highest expressions of compassion and generosity. Pope Benedict has stated that to give one’s organs means to give expression to a true, deep act of love for one’s neighbor.
  • Donation does not interfere with funeral arrangements. A donor can have an open casket funeral.
  • Anyone can be a potential donor, regardless of age or medical history. The good news is that a single donor can save or improve the lives of more than 50 people.

What Can You Do?
Get the facts on organ and tissue donation. Visit the Spanish language website www.donevida.org or call 1-800-485-VIDA.

DONATE LIFE AMERICA:
Founded in 1992, Donate Life America’s mission is to serve as a national voice and inspire all people to save and enhance lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.

WEBSITE:
DonateLifeAmerica.org

Contacts:
Martine Charles, 310-474-2701
Melinda Travis, 213-926-1421
Magaly Morales, 954-240-9818 (Spanish language)