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The need for increased organ and tissue donation in the minority community is great. Gifts of a heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, intestines, pancreas, skin, bone, connective tissue, heart valves and corneas can be the gifts of life itself. More and more it has become evident that genetics can play a critical role in the success of an operation as vital as a kidney or heart transplant. Minorities match better and have a higher rate of survival when transplanted with organs or tissue of similar genetic make-up. Therefore, African-Americans will "match" better with an organ donated by an African-American, as will Hispanics to Hispanics, Asians to Asians, etc. It is to this increased awareness that the Minority Donation Education Alliance (MDEA) dedicates its efforts and resources.
The MDEA is a coalition of organizations dedicated to promoting organ, tissue and eye donations awareness within the minority community. Comprised of Community Tissue Services, the Indiana Lions Eye Bank, the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization, the National Kidney Foundation of Indiana and the St. Joseph Tissue Bank; and aided by a grant from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), the MDEA hosts information sessions and participates in the Indiana Black Expo, the Black and Minority Health Fair and other community awareness efforts across the state.
We are proud that the efforts of the MDEA have resulted in increased organ and tissue donations and bone marrow matching, and that these results have saved lives and improved the quality of life for many people living with chronic disease. But we're not finished… the goal of the MDEA is to continue to increase donation of all organs and tissue within the minority community throughout Indiana. This will not only lead to more transplants, but will help to improve the success rate of those transplants so the recipients can lead long, productive and happy lives.