STORY SUMMARY
Gift of Life Michigan works tirelessly year-round to register organ donors, but August—National Minority Donor Awareness Month—brings a heightened focus on communities of color. With over 100,000 people in the U.S. awaiting transplants, nearly 60% are from multicultural backgrounds, where conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes often lead to organ failure. Diversity in donors is crucial since matching is more successful among those with similar ethnicities. Tanisha, a community relations coordinator, shares her personal experience of receiving a life-saving kidney transplant and how her nephew’s organ donation impacts her advocacy. She emphasizes the importance of discussing organ donation with loved ones and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to prevent organ failure. More information on becoming an organ donor is available on Gift of Life Michigan’s website.
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FULL STORY
Gift of Life Michigan, an organization dedicated to organ donor registration, is intensifying its efforts to reach communities of color this August as part of National Minority Donor Awareness Month. Recognizing that over 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently in need of life-saving organ transplants, with approximately 60% of these individuals belonging to multicultural backgrounds, the organization aims to address the disparities exacerbated by common health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes prevalent in minority populations.
Tanisha Carswell, a community relations coordinator for Gift of Life Michigan, brings a personal connection to her advocacy. Having received a kidney transplant over 16 years ago and being part of a donor family, she understands the critical impact of organ donation. Her five-month-old nephew became an organ and tissue donor, a decision influenced by her family’s own experiences with organ failure. Tanisha’s story is a poignant example of how organ donation not only saves lives but also profoundly affects the families of both donors and recipients.
Beyond raising awareness, Tanisha emphasizes the importance of proactive health practices to prevent organ failure, encouraging a healthier diet, regular exercise, and consistent medical check-ups with a primary care physician. These preventive measures can help individuals manage their health and potentially avoid the need for transplants in the first place. For those interested in learning more about organ donation, Gift of Life Michigan provides comprehensive information on their website, reinforcing the message that becoming an organ donor can be a lifesaving decision.
