Black History Month 2023
This October, we're celebrating Black History Month and recognising the contributions people of Black heritage make to saving and improving lives within the living donation and transplantation community.
Dela Idowu is the founder and CEO of Gift of Living Donation (GOLD), an organisation set up to raise awareness and educate people within the Black community about living donation.
In 2012, Dela came forward as a living donor for her brother, but unfortunately she wasn't a successful match. Dela says:
“Despite my disappointment, I turned my pain into something positive and set up GOLD so that more Black people affected by kidney failure could receive a kidney transplant from a living donor and avoid spending years on dialysis."
"Black History Month gives me a time to reflect on how far we have come as a community, celebrate our achievements, and consider the journey ahead. The journey may be a long and arduous one, but it is a journey filled with hope for the next generation of history makers.”
Rocky Opoku is a Living Donor Coordinator at Hammersmith hospital, and before this spent 13 years experience working in a dialysis unit. Rocky says:
"I witnessed the long wait Black minority patients go through before receiving a transplant... I admire their sense of resilience and strength.
“As a Black minority myself, I like to celebrate all those minorities who have donated their organs to improve others’ lives. I have the privilege to educate and empower others to follow suit and say to them that you can donate one of your kidney’s and still live a normal life.
“Black History Month provides the platform to educate, inform, empower, and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds.
"Let’s make the most of the opportunity and join hands to campaign to overcome the challenges we face as minorities.”
Miri Vutabwarova has worked as a Living Donor Coordinator at Guy’s Hospital since 2009. Miri says:
“Over the years, it has been apparent that the number of living donor transplants within our UK Black community are very low compared to other ethnicities.
“As a team, we have all worked together to encourage past Black living kidney donors to share their experience and instil confidence in other potential donors considering donation. We have enabled this through one-to-one peer support and group education; primarily to dispel the myths and fears associated with kidney donation in the ethnic minority population.
“We continue to work tirelessly to improve this communication and education with our patients.”
Did you know?
There are around 600 Black living donors in the UK who have donated a kidney to transform the life of someone in need of a transplant.
While some people of Black heritage go on to donate when they die each year, this is not enough to meet the needs of all patients waiting for a transplant from the Black community.
You could help improve the chances of Black patients getting the transplant they need by volunteering as a living donor.
