New York Organ Donor Network Urges Religious Leaders to Spread the Word About Life-Saving Organ and Tissue Donation During National Donor Sabbath in November

The New York Organ Donor Network, the nonprofit, federally-designated organ procurement organization serving the Greater New York metropolitan area, is urging religious leaders of all faiths to share the message about life-saving organ and tissue donation with their worshipers during National Donor Sabbath, which is celebrated throughout November. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorses Donor Sabbath.

Of the more than 86,000 people waiting for organ transplants across the United States , approximately 7,000 live in the New York metro area. Each day, an average of 17 men, women and children of all races and ethnic backgrounds die in the United States because of the shortage of donated organs.

Elaine Berg, president and CEO of the New York Organ Donor Network, said: “National Donor Sabbath is a wonderful opportunity for houses of worship to help initiate conversations that can make a life-saving difference to thousands of people. We appeal to religious leaders throughout our region to obtain information from us about donation in time for National Donor Sabbath, and then inform their worshipers about this vitally important topic. One person who donates organs can save up to eight lives, and one tissue donor—who donates skin, bone, heart valves and corneas—can save or improve the lives of up to 50 people.”

Ms. Berg added that she hoped that, encouraged by their religious leaders, the faith community would sign their driver's licenses, enroll in the New York Organ and Tissue Donor Registry (a confidential database maintained by the New York State Department of Health), and discuss their decision to donate with their next of kin. Most important, however, was the opportunity for religious leaders to open a serious discussion about donation and debunk the myths that religions do not support donation.

This year, Carolyn Waithe Yard, Th.D., staff chaplain of the Burn Center and Family Center for Special Studies at New York-Presbyterian Hospital- New York Weill Cornell Medical Center , is assisting the New York Organ Donor Network by taking a lead in promoting National Donor Sabbath. Rev. Dr. Yard has been a member of the Donor Network board of directors since January of 2003.

“When you look at the statistics on the number of people awaiting life-saving organs and those who actually consent to donation, it's staggering,” said Rev. Dr. Yard. “National Donor Sabbath provides the perfect platform to raise awareness about organ and tissue donation in our houses of worship. It allows us to reach all groups.”

ORGAN DONATION BY RELIGION IN NEW YORK METRO AREA IN 2003:

During 2003 in the Greater New York metropolitan area, there were 217 organ donors. The data below, provided by the New York Organ Donor Network, indicates the known religious affiliations of 155 of these organ donors. Of the remaining 62 organ donors, 14 were designated “Christian” without indication of specific affiliation, and 48 were unknown. This raw information does not imply donor families consented to donation for religious reasons, nor does it shed light on the religious affiliations of those families that declined consent for organ donation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ¨ Contact: Martin Woolf (212) 870-3960; mwoolf@nyodn.org