With nearly 60% of the national organ and tissue transplant waiting list reflecting communities of color, we are deeply committed to building awareness around the need for diverse donors.
The need is real.
Currently, approximately 110,000 individuals are waiting for a lifesaving organ or life-enhancing tissue transplant. The need continues to grow, but the availability of viable, lifesaving organs from diverse donors fails to match the increasing demand. Nationally, African Americans are the largest group of ethnically diverse patients in need of organ transplants. And in 2018, 16.4% of all transplant recipients were of Hispanic origin.
Versiti Organ and Tissue currently serves a 12-county region in Wisconsin. In Milwaukee, the state’s largest county of diverse residents, only 25% of Hispanics and African Americans are registered organ, tissue and eye donors. Increasing the number of diverse donors is crucial, as successful transplantation is often enhanced by matching organs and tissues between donors and patients of the same or similar ethnic groups.