As a result of these two divergent trends, there is a greatly heightened need for donor awareness within minority communities. National Donor Day seeks to spread awareness of this heightened need among African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders. Approximately 10,000 life saving transfusions occur daily, yet less than five percent of the eligible population of Americans gives blood regularly. The winter months, including February, are often times of critical blood shortages and National Donor Day augments the blood supply during this period. There are over 70,000 Americans, including children, awaiting organ transplants at any given moment and, sadly, approximately twelve die every day because a suitable donor is not found in time.
Transplantation leads to normal, productive lives.
For example, a current university study has tracked the births of nearly 2,000 healthy babies by mothers who are transplant recipients. Thousands of Americans, including children, need a bone marrow transplant each year yet are unable to find a suitable match. Marrow typing of a potential donor requires only a very small sample of blood. Patients who need bone marrow transplant are actually in need of new stem cells, which produce the body's blood cells. To date, bone marrow has been the most prominent source of stem cells.