Latino's "Living La Vida Organ Donor" in New York City

Conventional wisdom has it that Latino families in the United States are less likely than average to agree to organ donation. But not so in New York City. Latinos here have taken matters into their own hands.

There is a high incidence in the Latino population of diseases that result in the need for organ transplant; minorities, however including Latinos, face more than their share of obstacles when it comes to receiving one. Social-economic factors including poverty; lack of insurance, the language barrier, and just plain lack of awareness combine to limit the access of Latinos to lifesaving transplants. No wonder there is a perception in the community that the system is unfair! It is all the more remarkable, then, that last year the Latino community had the highest rate among all ethnic groups in New York of consenting to "The Gift of Life". When asked to donate, 58% of Latino families said, "Yes!"

Throughout the country, there are far more people who need organ transplants than there are donors to provide those organs. As a result, transplant teams are being forced to explore alternative sources, like Living Donor Liver Transplants. New York's hospitals have led the way in developing this new field, and Latino families have figured largely in its success by their exceptional willingness to put their lives on the line in order to save a friend or relative.

Our success in promoting organ donation among Latinos in New York should serve as a guiding light to the rest of the nation. Many things about Latino culture, including close family ties and a strong connection to religion and spirituality, provide fertile ground. The most important factor in New York's success, however, was the development of a program to approach the community about organ donation in their own language such as The Latino Organization for Liver Awareness (L.O.L.A.)

Asking a family to consent to the donation of their loved one's organs when they are in the process of grieving over an often untimely death is a very delicate and personal matter. It is no wonder that, if the person doing the asking does not speak the language or knows the culture of the family being asked to donate, the answer is likely to be, "No!". The recruitment of a culturally diversified team of expert "requesters" by The New York Organ Donor Network (NYODN), New York's organ procurement agency, has played a key role in our success. In addition, last year NYODN introduced a public awareness program entitled "Dar Vida/Give Life" that targets the Latino population.

Over recent years, the revolution in information technology has resulted in the ready accessibility of information about transplantation and organ donation.

Unfortunately, very little of the available information is presented bilingually. The face of America is changing. In the words of Hon. Antonia Coello Novello, Commissioner of the New York State Dept. of Health last year at a Gala Benefit in honor of Comite Noviembre, "Soon Latinos will no longer be the Minority, but rather the Majority!" The national transplant community needs to follow New York's lead and develop outreach programs that approach Latinos in Spanish and respects their unique perspective.

In Latino culture, seeing is believing. Show us that the transplant system works for us, and we'll support it with all our hearts.