New York, NY – August 30, 2006: Although more than 3,300 Hispanics in the United States received the gift of life through organ donation in 2005, strongly held myths regarding donation continue to be the major barrier preventing many Hispanics from becoming organ and tissue donors. To encourage more Hispanics to become donors, the New York Organ Donor Network will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15 by presenting educational programs about donation to the Hispanic/Latino community in the Greater New York metropolitan area.

Hispanic Heritage Month takes place at a time when more than 92,000 people are waiting for organ transplants in the United States. Of these, nearly 7,000 are in the New York metropolitan area, of which approximately 20 percent are of Hispanic heritage.

“We are gratified to report that in our area, Hispanics had the highest consent rate for organ donation last year, namely, 63 percent,” said Elaine Berg, president and CEO of the New York Organ Donor Network. “But that still means more than a third of all Hispanic families approached to donate declined. We are well positioned to narrow the gap and we hope that Hispanic Heritage Month will help us to save many, many more lives.”

Among the most common myths surrounding organ donation in the Hispanic community is the belief that doctors in an emergency room situation will not work as hard to save the life of a person who has indicated a wish to be a donor. In response, Ms. Berg said that medical ethics demand that the first obligation of doctors is to save lives. “The doctors in emergency rooms have only one thought in mind and that is to do whatever is in their power to resuscitate patients,” she said. “When all efforts fail, the team that supervises organ recovery and organ transplantation is contacted. These professionals operate independently of the doctors who cared for the patient before death.”

Other misconceptions that prevent Hispanics in New York from making the decision to donate life include:

• A mistrust of the organ donation process and allocation system resulting in some Hispanics feeling that the rich get preferential treatment. The Donor Network explains that allocation is based on a variety of medical and logistical factors including blood type, size of organ needed, and waiting time.

• A misplaced belief that donation is against their faith. All major religions, including the Roman Catholic Church, support organ and tissue donation. Pope Benedict XVI has stated “that to give one's organs means to give expression to a true, deep act of love for one's neighbor.”

• A misperception that there is a cost to donation or that donation interferes with normal funeral arrangements. Donation is free to the donor and the donor’s estate and will not interfere with funeral arrangements. Donors can have a regular, open-casket funeral.

The New York Organ Donor Network’s director of communications, Julia Rivera, said that during Hispanic Heritage Month, the organ procurement organization is urging all people of Latino descent in the New York metro region to find out more about donation by visiting the organization’s Web site at www.donatelifeny.org.

Ms. Rivera said that the Web site contains a section in Spanish as well as an opportunity to enroll in the New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. The registry is a confidential database administered by New York State’s Department of Health.

For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month and to find out how individuals and organizations can participate, contact Miriam Perez at the New York Organ Donor Network, 646-291-4455 or at via e-mail: mperez@nyodn.org.

SPECIAL EVENT: New York Organ Donor Network to Attend Health Fair in Queens for Hispanic Heritage Month

Residents of Queens who are of Hispanic heritage will be interested to know that on Sunday, September 17, the New York Organ Donor Network will participate in a health fair specially designed for the Spanish-speaking population. The health fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The New York Organ Donor Network will hand out materials relating to organ and tissue donation. The Donor Network’s booth is supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with partners that include the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Office of Minority Health (OMH).