LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Nevada Donor Network and the Latin Chamber of Commerce have launched a Latino donor outreach campaign.
Corazon de Esperanza, which translates to Heart of Hope, is the first initiative of its kind geared towards educating Latino residents and other populations about the importance of becoming organ, eye and tissue donors.
Medical data shows there is a higher likelihood of achieving a match if the donor and intended recipient share the same ethnic background. Critical factors in donor/recipient matching, such as blood types and tissue markers, are more likely to be found among members of the same ethnicity.
“It’s about trust and educating our communities about the need for organ transplant. It’s much easier for those of the same genetic make up to be the same and be the match," said Steven Peralta, the foundation president for the Nevada Donor Network.
Peralta said thefoal is to dispel myths surrounding organ, eye and tissue donation and to help increase the number or registered organ donors in the state.
In Nevada, there are currently 140 Latinos on the transplant waiting list. 22,218 or 20% of people on the national transplant waiting list are Latinos.
