DONATE LIFE ORGAN DONATION AWARENESS - ASSOCIATION FOR MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS IN TRANSPLANTATION

Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT)

18^th Annual Conference Brings New Name, New Logo, New Organization

Chicago, Illinois, October 14, 2010, — The strategic rebranding of the American Society of Multicultural Health and Transplant Professionals (ASMHTP) to the Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) was the highlight of the organization’s four-day, 18th annual conference “Advancing Multicultural Perspectives in Donation and Transplantation’’ held at the Holiday Inn Chicago-Mart Plaza Hotel in Chicago, Illinois from September 20-24. The Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network served as host to the conference which included dynamic speakers and presentations that left many feeling rejuvenated and more connected in the common goal of saving lives through donation and transplantation.

AMAT is acutely aware of the fact that of the over 109,000 people currently waiting on the national transplant waiting list, 54% are minorities due to higher incidences of hypertension and diabetes in our multicultural communities. Members of our ethnically diverse communities also play a critical role in America’s transplant system as they save and heal lives as donors and serve patients and families as health professionals. Today, donation and transplant professionals face unique challenges when communicating with grieving families, transplant candidates and patients, hospital staff, and the public within the African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian and other multicultural communities.

With the rebranding of the organization, AMAT executive officers were proud to unveil the new logo for the organization. The 2010-2011 Board of Directors and Committee Chairs of AMAT look forward to delving beyond the superficial change to the organization and will concentrate on strengthening the existing structure of the organization, building upon it, and invite industry partners to join AMAT in serving multicultural communities. In her incoming presidential address, Sandy Shih Andrada (California Transplant Donor Network) shared her vision of taking the organization beyond an annual conference to best practice sharing between members throughout the year utilizing webinar technology as well as other speaking opportunities. Ms. Andrada also charged its members to own their responsibility to the diversification and delivery of donation and transplantation’s life-saving message to communities across cultures. AMAT members were charged with sharing best practices in their areas of expertise not only at the conference, but to be empowered to serve as a vital resource to the donation and transplant industry at large throughout the year.

AMAT’s 2011 conference will be hosted by Lifelink in Tampa, Florida. For more information on the 2011 conference or on the organization please contact Public Relations Chair, Carla Hawkins at 229-291-7457.

The Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) supports our partners in the transplant field as they save and heal lives in our diverse communities. AMAT envisions a nation where transplant organizations apply a multicultural perspective to their relationships with donor families, transplant patients, healthcare professionals and the general public, and people of all cultures embrace organ, eye and tissue donation as a social responsibility. For more information please visit our website www.asmhtp.org.

Contact: Carla Hawkins
Public Relations Chair
Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation
229-291-7457
carla.hawkins@lifelinkfound.org
www.asmhtp.org