August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month, a critical time highlighting the urgent need for organ donors from diverse backgrounds.
In Indiana, the Indiana Donor Network (IDN) is leading the charge to increase awareness and encourage members of minority communities to consider the life-saving gift of organ donation.
Edna Simms’ son, Marvin Wilkerson, tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 36. Simms shared how Wilkerson advocated for organ and tissue donation until his final breath.
“We did a lot of talking about becoming a donor before Marvin died,” Simms said.
Wilkerson told his mother that if he died, he wanted to be a donor.
“Mom, anything they can use, anything,” Simms quoted what her son said regarding his final wishes.
IDN president and CEO Kellie Tremain said that the altruistic nature of donorship from people like Wilkerson is a necessity.
“The selflessness and generosity of organ and tissue donors and their families gives patients in need of a transplant a second chance at life,” Tremain said.
Tremain said that this is their eighth year executing high performance commitment to donors. “We are dedicated to saving lives.”
The stark reality is that the demand for organ transplants far outweighs the supply, with nearly 104,000 Americans currently waiting for a lifesaving organ. Disparities in health care access mean that minority communities are disproportionately affected by organ failure.
According to the Indiana Donor Network, African Americans are more than three times more likely to experience kidney failure compared to white Americans. At the same time, Hispanics or Latinos are 1.3 times more likely.
To address the critical shortage of organs, IDN has established a multicultural outreach program led by community outreach specialists Bruce Johnson and Rafael Aguilar. Their mission is to engage Hoosiers of color through education and open conversations about organ donation.
“We understand the unique challenges and concerns within minority communities,” Johnson said. “Our goal is to build trust, dispel myths and inspire individuals to become organ donors.
Johnson, a person of color, recalls the narratives surrounding organ donation in the Black community.
“Growing up, I remember all of the [negative] things said about organ donation,” Johnson said. “One being that emergency services will ‘let you die’ if they find out you are an organ donor, which simply is not true.”
Johnson said that combating the narratives is half of the battle.
“We want to make sure the community is properly informed,” Johnson said.
For the remainder of the year, IDN and Donate Life Indiana will host events and campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and inspire individuals to sign up as donors.
One event, Strut 2 Save Lives, is a one-mile community walk to honor all organ and tissue donors, celebrating the gift of life. Attendees are welcome to bring their pets along. The event begins at 10 a.m. on Sept. 8 at James A. Dillion Park in Noblesville.
Johnson believes that by working together, we can create a brighter future where every person in need receives the life-saving organ transplant they deserve.
“By increasing awareness and education, we can save lives,” Johnson said.
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3noral. For more news courtesy of the Indianapolis Recorder, visit our homepage.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
