Secretary of State Jesse White is hosting a virtual National Minority Donor Awareness Month “Wave Away the Waiting” to promote organ/tissue donation for multicultural communities at www.LifeGoesOn.com.
Nationally, people of color comprise 59 percent of the waiting list for organ transplants; however, this year they accounted for only 38 percent of those who donated organs, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
In Illinois, almost 7 million people are registered as organ/tissue donors, yet there are approximately 4,000 people waiting for transplants. People of color are disproportionately affected by illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, which can lead to the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant, increasing the number of patients on the organ transplant waiting list, according to United Network for Organ Sharing.
Illinoisans can register with the Secretary of State’s Organ/Tissue Donor Registry online at www.LifeGoesOn.com, by calling 1-800-210-2106 or by visiting their local Driver Services facility.
