10 conversations and celebrations
10/21/2024A MONTH OF ACTION
There’s a lot going on this October. This month is all about starting and spreading lifesaving conversations. We’ve got 10 conversations and celebrations scheduled for the tenth month, and we need your help!
Keep reading to learn more about:
Healthy Lung Month
Emergency Nurses Day
Liver Awareness Month
Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day
World Sight Day
Indigenous People’s Day
Latino Heritage Month
National Cookbook Month
Make a Difference Day
& Generosity (a bonus celebration!)
10 CONVERSATIONS AND CELEBRATIONS
1. Healthy Lung Month
Of the 104,000+ people on the national transplant list, nearly 1,000 are waiting for a lung transplant. While lung damage may be treated using medication or special breathing devices, lung transplants serve as the only medical intervention for people with end-stage lung disease. Candidates for a lung transplant may suffer from conditions such as cystic fibrosis, emphysema and pulmonary embolism.
Throughout Healthy Lung Month in October, we share the stories of people who received a breath of new life, educate the public about groundbreaking technology, and promote practices for long-standing lung health. Read more at Upgrading imperfect lungs: Healthy Lung Month.
The conversation doesn’t end in October. Join us and the American Lung Association for the annual Lung Force Walk in November! We’ll be in Phoenix Saturday, Nov. 1, 2024, and Tucson Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. Visit American Lung Association for more information or here to volunteer with us.
2. Emergency Nurses Day – Oct. 9
Picture it: A bad car crash, emergency medical services (EMS) arrive on scene and begin to assess the situation. They start lifesaving measures on the people in the crash and rush them to the local hospital’s emergency department, where emergency nurses are some of the vital caretakers in times of crisis.
It’s a common misconception that EMS professionals will not work as hard to save your life if you are a registered organ and tissue donor. This is FALSE.
Emergency nurses, physicians and other EMS professionals alike don’t have time to check a patient’s registration status, nor do they have access to that information unless they call us at Donor Network of Arizona (DNA). They work hard and swiftly to stabilize the patient in their care. These nurses deserve to be recognized today and every day for their unwavering dedication, partnership and support of donation if a patient ultimately does not survive. Join us in saying “THANK YOU!”.
3. Liver Awareness Month
Lungs aren’t the only organ that starts with an L that we’re talking about this month! October is also Liver Awareness Month. Liver donation helps when someone goes through acute or chronic end-stage liver failure, often as a result of viral infections like hepatitis C, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and others, and cannot be controlled with different treatments.
Join in on the conversation or accompany us next month in person for the Liver Life Walk with the American Liver Foundation (ALF) Sunday, Nov. 3. For more information, visit the Liver Life Walk website or volunteer with us here.
4. Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day – Oct. 16
We recognize Breast Cancer Awareness throughout the month of October but dedicate one day to celebrate Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day, which fell on Wednesday, Oct. 16 this year. BRA Day’s primary goal is to educate, engage and empower women who have been diagnosed or survived breast cancer, as well as raise awareness about breast reconstruction options post-mastectomy.
Breast reconstruction after mastectomies is often made possible through the generosity of tissue donors, and just one tissue donor can help up to five people.
Learn more about breast reconstruction awareness and see how we have celebrated in the past here.
5. World Sight Day – Oct. 12
You know what’s eye-conic? Vision restoration, only possible because of cornea donation. The cornea is one of the many tissues that can provide healing to someone in need. In fact, every 11 minutes, someone has their sight restored by an EBAA member eye bank.
Corneal blindness that may be treated with a cornea transplant is commonly caused by injury, infection, keratoconus, corneal degeneration and more. On Saturday, Oct. 12, we shed a light on eye health and the possibility of sight restoration. To learn more about cornea donation, visit DonateLife.net.
6. Indigenous People’s Day – Oct. 14
Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) is constantly working to bring recognition and education to appreciate the diverse Native American communities across our state, as well as encourage meaningful and respectful dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities surrounding donation. In Arizona alone, there are 22 federally recognized Native American tribes. Furthermore, Native Americans make up 8% of the state’s organ transplant waiting list and 3% of organ donors in 2023. Native American communities can save more lives overall and may help extend the lives of those in their community.
Join us in bringing visibility to the diverse Indigenous communities throughout Arizona. Read more in our blog post called Donation and Indigenous Communities to learn more about donation and transplantation within these communities.
7. Latino Heritage Month
In Arizona, Latino and Hispanic communities make up 33% of the state’s organ transplant waiting list. Donation and transplantation can be successful regardless of the ethnicity of the donor and recipient, but chances of longer-term success may be greater if the donor and recipient are closely matched in terms of their shared genetic background.
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we recognized and celebrated the histories, cultures and stories of Latino Americans while highlighting the need of organ and tissue donation in the community to help shorten their wait. Check out our bilingual blog, Celebrando el Mes de la Herencia Latina | Celebrating Latino Heritage Month, to learn more about donation and transplantation within Latino communities.
8. Make a Difference Day – Oct. 26
Mark your calendars for Oct. 26. It’s Make a Difference Day! Your decision to register as an organ donor is a small act that has a big impact. In fact, it only takes 38 seconds to sign up to save up to eight lives and heal 75 more.
Have plans on Oct. 26? Not to worry. You can register as an organ and tissue donor any time online at www.DonateLifeAZ.org.
Join us in making a difference.
9. National Cookbook Month
Food is more than a life-sustaining necessity. It is a language that speaks to the heart and soul and brings people together. It can be powerful in its ability to heal when you are sick; comfort when you are sad, memorialize special moments and joyful times shared.
We invite donor families in Arizona to share their loved ones’ favorite recipes to be published in our annual “Recipes of Remembrance” cookbook. It is through their kindness that their plate is where generosity and food are served.
Join us in honoring Arizona organ donors and celebrating National Cookbook Month by making one of these recipes of remembrance. Find our published cookbooks here. Be sure to use the hashtag #RecipesofRemembrance when you post a photo of the meal or dish you created on your social media.
10. Generosity (a bonus celebration!)
At DNA, every month is a celebration of generosity. The selflessness of Arizona organ donors provides hope and healing to those waiting for a transplant.
There is one simple action you can take to join in on the conversations and celebrations happening this October: Register as an organ and tissue donor. Don’t wait. Register today at www.DonateLifeAZ.org. You can also sign up when you apply for or renew your driver license or state ID at an Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division (ADOT MVD) or authorized third-party office.