The need for diversity

People of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds can donate their organs and tissues.

Some types of organ failure occur more often in racial and ethnic minority populations than in the majority of the population. For example, Black Americans and other minorities are three times more likely than Caucasians to suffer from end-stage renal (kidney) disease.

Although organs are not matched according to race or ethnicity, critical criteria (including blood type) for donor and recipient matching are more likely to be found among members of the same race or ethnicity. Also, transplant success rates increase when organs are matched between members of the same ethnic and racial group.

The need for a diverse population of organ donors is critical.