An Opportunity for Houses of Worshp to Dispel Myths About Organ and Tissue Donation

Two Symposiums - Open to the Public at No Charge-Are the Highlights of This Year's Program

(NEW YORK, NY) October 16, 2006 - This year during National Donor Sabbath (November 10-12), faith communities throughout the nation will participate in discussions as to how organ and tissue donation can be increased, so that more lives are saved through transplantation. Traditionally observed on the Friday, Saturda and Sunday two weeks before Thanksgiving, National Donor Sabbath effectively launches the holiday season.

The higlight of National Donor Sabbath this year will be two symposiums co-hosted by the New York Organ Donor Network. The symposiums are free and open to the public. A symposium on the subject of African-American and End of Life Care Decisions will take place on Sunday, November 5 at the Allen AME Church, 110-31 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, NY, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Monday, November 6, a symposium entitled "Saving the Sody and Soul: Religiious, Cultural and Ethical Perspectives on Organ and Tissue Donation," will be held at the Catherdral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information about the symposiums, conctact Karen Cummings at the Donor Network, 646-291-4454 or e-mail her kcumming@nyodn.org.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorses National Donor Sabbath. Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary, United States Department of Health and Human Services, said: "I am heartened that the promise of organ donation continues to save more and more lives every year. For each life saved, hope for others in need grows; we must continue to grow and share that hope across the nation."

According to the New York Organ Donor Network, participation in National Donor Sabbath increases each year but so does the need for donors. Across the Unites States, more than 28,000 organ tranplants were performed in 2005, but more than 92,000 people are on the organ tranplant waiting list. Of these 7,000 are in the Greater New York metropolitan area, a region in which there were only 261 organ donors last year. Each day, as many as 17 people die in the United States because of the lack of life-saving organs. Thousands more need tissues such as corneas, skin and heart-valves.

Many faith leaders in the Greater New York metropolitan area will participate in this year's services an programs to increase awareness of donation and tranplantation and the critical need for donors. Temples, churches, mosques, and other places of worship that observe Donor Sabbath will do so each in their own fashion, from handing out brochures to including sermons about donation and guest speakers such as tranplant recipients and donor family members.

Elaine Berg, president and CEO of the New York Organ Donor Network, said: "All major religions support organ and tissue donation. In our area, for example, we have received strong support from many influential religious leaders. For example, Cardinal Egan has told readers or our newsletter that the Catholic Church views organ donation as an act of charity, a powerful way for individuals to demonstrate love for their neighbor."

"We have received similar messages of support from Rabbi Moshe Tendler of Yeshiva University; The Reverend Dr. James Forbes of the Riverside Church; Sheikh Omar Abu-Namous, the Imam of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York; and Prof. Robert Thurman of Columbia University and president of Tibet House."

Ms. Berg appealed to all religious leaders in the region to include discussions about donation in their services in November, even if they cannot formally schedule it for the second weekend of November. "We hope that all houses of worship will get the word out that a signle organ donor can save up to eight lives," she said. "One tissue donor can save or improve life for as manny as 50 recipients. Can there be a better way to teach love and charity than through giving the gift of life?"

Among the events planned by the New York Organ Donor Network for National Donor Sabbath are two symposiums that are open to the general public and for which there is no admission fee:

• Sunday, November 5: A symposium entitled "African-Americans and End of Life Care Decisions Symposium," will take place at the Allen AME Church, 110-31 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica, NY, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  
  
• Monday, November 6: A symposium entitled "Saving the Body and Soul: Religious, Cultural and Ethical Perspectives on Organ and Tissue Donation," will be held at the Catherdral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The symposium will include leaders of all denominations to discuss religion's place in donation and transplantation, and they will strategize how to coordinate efforts to better service the community. Speakers and panelists confirmed thus far include Reverend Dennis Dillon, president of the Christian Times; Elisa Gordon, Ph.D., and ethicist at the Alden Martch Bioethics Institute, Albany Medical College; Sheik Abu-Namous, Imam at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York; Rabbi Moshe Tendler, Community Synagogue of Monsey; Reverend Arnold Thomas, Riverside Church; and the Rev. Carolyn Yard, chaplain at Cornell Burn Center in Manhattan. The discussion will include topics such as end of life care decisions and how religious beliefs can serve to inccrease donation; and the ethical ramifications of living donation.

• To learn more about the symposiums: Contact Karen Cummings at 646-291-4454.
  
  
• Religious leaders of all faiths are encouraged to receive free materials, ideas for sermons, and other resources for National Donor Sabbath from the New York Organ Donor Network. To do so, contact Karen Cummings either at 646-291-4454 or via e-mail at kcumming@nyodn.org.
  
  
• To find out more about organ and tissue donation and to enroll in the New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry: Visit the Web site for the New York Organ Donor Network at www.donatelifeny.org. The Donor Registry is a confidential database administered by the New York State Deparment of Health.
  
  
  

DECEASED ORGAN DONORS IN THE GREATER NEW YORK METRO AREA
METROPOLITAN AREA IN 2005, BY RELIGION

During 2005 in the Greater New York metropolitan area, there were 261 deceased organ donors. The data below indicates the known religious affiliations of 204 of them; the religious denominations of the remaining 57 deceased organ donors were not stated.

This data only represents the number of organ donors by religion, as stated. Given the large proportion of the 'Unknown/Not stated' category, and the lack of information about religion from families that declined donation, specific inferences regarding a particular religion's affinity for organ donation cannot be made from this information.

(Source: New York Organ Donor Network)