National Donor Day is held on Valentine Day each year to recognize those who have given and received the gift of life through organ, eye and tissue donation, are currently waiting for a lifesaving transplant, and those who died waiting because an organ was not donated in time. There are more than 112,000 U. S. residents that are awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. Each registered donor can save up to eight lives and improve 75 more.
Educating Minorities About Transplants (EMAT) is a local nonprofit organization that educates and spreads awareness about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation and transplants. This year EMAT partnered with a local dialysis center for the opportunity to distribute 100+ gift bags of love to dialysis patients and caregivers. Included in each bag was a National Donor Day card with pertinent information about the organ donar process. EMAT members were eager to volunteer to help those in need to bring awareness to Duval county residents. “We’d like more individuals to register as a donor to help spread the word,” said organizer Shirley Brill. F
For more information about the group and how you can get involved, visit their website at www.emat-inc.org.
