Heroes Wanted
Donor program gives second chances
Anyone can be a hero because anyone’s a potential donor of blood, organs, tissue, stem cells or bone marrow. And you could give someone — or many people — a second chance at life.
On Feb. 14, UAW members, Saturn Corp. and many leading health care organizations will host their annual National Donor Day at 400 Saturn sites and other locations across the United States. The one-day event is aimed at raising awareness and encouraging donations.
More than 80,000 patients currently await a life-saving organ transplant. On average, 16 people die each day because not enough organs are available to meet the need.
Each year, about 30,000 patients in the United States are diagnosed with life-threatening diseases such as leukemia, which are treatable by a marrow or blood stem cell transplant. Just one in three will find a donor match within their family.
Blood is typically in short supply during February, and this year the shortage is expected to be especially grave. Although 60 percent of Americans are eligible to give blood, only 5 percent donate.
In addition, demand for transplants among minority populations is disproportionately high. While traditional minority representation among donor pools is not meeting the need.
As a result, there is a greatly heightened need among African Americans, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders who are more difficult to match yet have a smaller pool of donors than others.
For more information donor on events near you, call 800-553-6670 or log on to www.saturnuaw.com (click on National Donor Day).
