The Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP), founded by Dr.
Clive O. Callender, is the first national organization designed to educate minority communities
on facts about organ/tissue donation and transplantation. Since June 1993,
National MOTTEP, has been actively working to solve the number one problem in transplantation
- the shortage of organ/tissue donors. National MOTTEP expanded from
three (3) sites in 1993 to fifteen (15) sites in 195 across the country. MOTTEP of Detroit
was launched in 1995 and serves the African American, Native American,
Hispanic/Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander populations.
Why was MOTTEP Founded?
MOTTEP was originally established to increase the number of minority
organ and tissue transplant donors.
FACTS:
- 97,000 patients nationally are currently on transplant waiting list
- 50% of patients waiting for transplants are of an ethnic minority
- 46% of patients awaiting kidney transplants in Michigan are
African American
- 25% of the available donor pool represents minority donors
- 17 transplant patients die each day while awaiting and organ
- One name is added to the transplant waiting list every 16 minutes
- One donor can provide life saving organs for seven (7) persons
- One donor can provide quality enhancing tissues for 230 persons
WHY MOTTEP IS IMPORTANT?
Transplants WORK! The number one problem is lack of donors.
This issue is extremely important in the minority community
because the minority populations in general, and African
Americans in particular are disproportionately affected by
diseases that can lead to organ failure i.e. Diabetes, hypertension,
obesity/poor nutrition, and drug and alcohol abuse. Minorities
do DONATE, however the organ need and the donation rate are
disproportionate. Minority populations have been reluctant to
donation because of:
- Mistrust of the Medical Community
- Fear of Premature Death
- Racism
- Religious Beliefs and Superstitions
- Lack of Awareness
Gift of Life MOTTEP Goals:
- Establish cooperative relationships and/or acquire sponsorship from public and private
organizations to assist in the educational campaign for the minority populations within
the community.
- Empower specific ethnic minority populations to develop and implement Action
Plans that will increase awareness levels within their own communities.
- Educate the ethnic minority populations with facts regarding organ/tissue donation and
transplantation and increase the number of organ/tissue donor registry cards signed by
minorities.
- Inform ethnic minority populations about the specific behaviors and the resulting
diseases that lead to the need for organ/tissue transplantation, e.g. Diabetes, Hypertension,
Hearing disease and Substance Abuse.
Gift of Life MOTTEP uses a community based approach with ethnically similar messengers to
dispel the myths and misconceptions that prevent persons from talking to their families about
donating the Gift of Life.
