National Donor Sabbath gives Americans a chance to discuss life-saving donations with their religious leaders and families. More than 58,000 men, women and children are now waiting for a healthy organ to replace a failing kidney, heart, lung, liver or pancreas. Fewer than 20,000 individuals, however, received an organ transplant in 1997. We believe the involvement of the faith community in National Donor Sabbath can make a difference in the number of individuals who consider donation and discuss it with their families. A recent study conducted for HRSA by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics reported that only 2 percent of the relatives of potential donors who had died within the previous year had heard about organ and tissue donation from a clergy member.
Informed families are important because their consent is sought when donation is possible.
National Donor Sabbath sets aside a special time for clergy and congregations to talk about and encourage donation. It is a time to celebrate the gift of life, a blessing that can be shared by all faiths. HHS is partnering with numerous faith organizations to encourage organ and tissue donation, including the Congress of National Black Churches, a coalition of eight historically black denominations representing 65,000 churches with more than 20 million members. As a result, several CNBC affiliates across the country are participating in National Donor Sabbath. The Congress of National Black Churches of Louisiana, the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency and the Heart of America National Marrow Program have launched an intensive program through local churches to encourage families to discuss their wishes about donation and to enroll in the Louisiana Donor Registry.