Organ donor preparing for 2nd donation for National Multiethnic Donor Awareness Month

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) -Thousands of people are now waiting for a second chance at life. That’s why organ donation is so important.

There is a specific need for donors in minority communities.

That’s why August is National Multi-Ethnic Donor Awareness Month.

“I wanted to be an organ donor to save someone’s life,” said Christopher Woody, an organ donor.

Woody says he’s a giver.

“You have to know your calling and your purpose in life, and I believe that’s my calling and my purpose.. is to be a giver,” said Woody.

In 2013, a family member of Woody’s needed a kidney, and he was the only match. This started his journey of being an organ donor, and he hasn’t stopped giving.

“Right now, I’m in the process of doing my second organ donation. Which I’ll be donating 40% of my kidney to a child,” said Woody.

100,000 people are currently on the national transplant waiting list.

2,400 of them are Virginians. 60% of those waiting nationally are racial and ethnic minorities.

That’s why Donate Life is using August to highlight the need for donors in a community with disproportionately higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

All contributors to organ failure and especially kidney failure.

“One of the biggest organs that are needed in the African American community is kidneys,” said Woody.

African Americans are three times more likely, and Hispanics are 1.3 times more likely to have kidney failure than white Americans.

Donate Life wants to educate people on the need for more organ, eye and tissue donors within multicultural communities. The goal: encourage more donors to sign up.

“I believe if you want to be an organ donator, sign up at Donate Life Virginia dot org. You can also apply at your local DMV,” said Woody.

Not only will this be Woody’s second time donating a piece of himself, but he’s also already planned to give one last piece.

“I’ll be donating bone marrow. Organ donation not only saves one life, but it saves two. One person gets removed off the list, and another person moves up in the list,” said Woody.

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