National Donor Sabbath is part of an organ donation initiative launched by the United
States Department of Health and Human Services in 1997. Observed on Friday through
Sunday two weekends before Thanksgiving, the 3-day period seeks to include the days of
worship of major religions practiced in the United States.
The official U.S. Government web site for organ and tissue donation and transplantation, www.organdonor.gov, is maintained by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Healthcare Systems Bureau (HSB), Division of Transplantation, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Division of Transplantation (HRSA/HSB) manages contracts with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), and the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
The Division conducts public and professional education initiatives to increase awareness of the critical need for organ and tissue donors:
- To increase awareness of transplantation as a treatment option for conditions such as organ failure and
- To improve the success of the donation/transplantation processes.
National Donor Sabbath is a nation-wide, inter-faith effort to encourage people to become actively involved in organ donation and transplantation. It goes without saying that all organ transplant patients, their families and caregivers have a common prayer. You can extend that power, if you would discuss this event with your religious leaders and consider getting involved.
National Donor Sabbath Materials are available to public organizations, faith leaders and their communities - Sharing the Gift of Life: A Resource Guide for Faith Leaders on Organ and Tissue Donation and National Donor Sabbath.
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