About the Gifted Life: Advancing Equity in Organ Transplantation

The Gifted Life Campaign is a strategic narrative change initiative aimed at addressing the urgent need for equity and justice in the organ transplantation sector. Through this campaign, we seek to shift the existing narrative surrounding organ transplantation by bringing attention to current disparities and inequities and create the public will to drive transformational change.

We are launching this campaign with four events. 

Focus Groups

The Focus Groups serve as platforms for in-depth discussions on specific organ donation and transplantation topics. These small-group discussions will gather people living with disabilities and seniors and individuals directly affected by organ donation. The insights gathered from these focus groups help shape the campaign’s initiatives, policies, and strategies to better address the challenges and opportunities in the field of organ transplantation.

The Gifted Life National Town Halls:

The Gifted Life Town Halls are groundbreaking events that aim to foster open discussions, inspire meaningful connections, and ignite transformative action in reimagining organ transplantation.

As you know, kidney transplants make up over 80% of all organ transplants. African Americans represent just 13% of the U.S. population, yet they make up over 30% of the patients on the national organ transplant waiting list. Furthermore, despite being disproportionately affected by kidney disease, African American patients are less likely to receive a kidney transplant compared to their white counterparts, and when they do, they are 8 times more likely to receive a cadaver organ, which has a lifespan of 5-8 years compared to the 15-20 year life span of a donation by a live donor. These disparities are shocking and we are teaming with The Jentosy Project to help make an impact.

The National Town Halls will be held on the third Tuesday of every month, bringing together communities for open discussions and awareness-building. Each event features a panel discussion with four experts, including medical professionals, advocates, and community leaders. These panelists engage in insightful conversations about organ donation, transplantation, and other relevant healthcare topics. The primary goal of these town halls is to educate, inspire, and empower individuals and communities, fostering informed decisions about organ donation and providing support to those in need of life-saving transplants.

Support Groups

Two Support Groups will provide safe spaces for seniors and those living with disabilities and their families who are also impacted by organ donation and transplantation, specifically caregivers and patients on dialysis living on the waiting list. One group is for Caregivers and the other is for senior citizens and those living with disabilities.

These groups will offer emotional support, share personal experiences, and exchange valuable information on coping strategies, pre and post-transplant care, and managing the challenges associated with organ transplantation. Facilitated by Robert Sanchez, the support groups will create a compassionate community that fosters healing and resilience.