Celebrating Black History Month
02/7/2024In February, we celebrate and honor Black History Month. Throughout the month, and for the remainder of the year, we will continue to recognize the Black and African American communities by highlighting their contributions to donation and transplantation in Arizona.
Black communities have a statistically higher risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. According to the National Kidney Foundation, African Americans are 4 times as likely than other groups to develop kidney failure. Black and African Americans represent 13% of the U.S. population, while representing 28% of the national organ transplant waiting list. These higher rates of kidney disease can lead to the potential need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.
In 2023, organ donors saved the lives of 105 Black or African American people. Thank you to all our donor families, transplant families and volunteers for your help in saving, healing and supporting your communities.
Saving the Life of a Lifesaver
Experienced in both orthopedic and trauma surgery, Dr. Dana Jamison also believes in the power of saying yes to donation.
“If you asked me when I was 17 what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d have said I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon who took care of a professional team,” she says.
A lifesaver and healer in her own right, Dana traveled to West Africa on surgical missions. She suspects she caught an illness during one of those trips, which caused a rare kidney disorder back in 2000.
Her husband, Alex Jamison, saved her life when he donated his kidney to her as a living donor. Because of his loving offer, she continues to heal people through her skillful practice as an orthopedic surgeon.
Together we can help
By having the power of saying yes to donation, we can honor and improve the lives of our Black communities together.
Join the DonateLifeAZ Registry when you apply for or renew a driver’s license or state ID at an ADOT MVD office. You can also register online at DonateLifeAZ.org.