Exactly one year ago this week, I had a friend on his death bed in Stonybrook Hospital. He had leukemia and things weren’t looking good for him. He needed bone marrow and his weakness left one of his kidneys in an unstable state.
And then he had an anonymous donor approach on National Minority Organ Donor Awareness Day.
Now he’s out of the hospital and living as every 21-year old should. While occasionally weak, he’s cancer-free and enjoying life for the first time in over two years.
My friend is one of the lucky ones. Everyday, 16 people die waiting for a transplant. And of all potential donors, minorities only make up 25%. It is also statistically more probable for someone to find a matching donor of the same race. Which is why minors in need of a transplant have a very difficult time with getting the medical attention they need.
So, I strongly believe National Minority Organ Donor Awareness Day singlehandedly saved my friend’s life.
Promotional giveaways are a great way for hospitals to get more donors. Small incentives like promotional t-shirts and promotional hats or even larger incentives such as promotional electronics are great ways to get donors in the door and saving lives.

Consider giving on August 1, 2011.