2004 National Minority Transplant Hall of Fame Celebration

Washington, D.C. – The National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP®) recently held its 2004 National Minority Transplant Hall of Fame Celebration at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives located of 1201 17th Street, N.W. The Hall of Fame was established to honor those individuals and organizations who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication in minority organ and tissue transplantation.

This year’s inductees were The Honorable Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, recipient of the Federal/Congressional Award, Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc., a leading global pharmaceutical company specializing in areas such as transplantation and cardiovascular, recipient of the Corporate Award, Arnold Diethelm, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Surgery at the University of Alabama, recipient of the Transplant Pioneer Award, Curtis L. Yeager, Transplant Center Administrative Coordinator for Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C., also a recipient of the Transplant Pioneer Award, Jacqueline Ross, Manager of the Multicultural Donor Awareness Education Program at the Alabama Organ Donor Center, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, recipient of the Community Leader Award and Donald Arthur, a heart transplant recipient from New York and one of the co-founders and Vice President of Transplant Speakers International, Inc., (TSI), an organization dedicated in saving lives by educating the public about the significance of organ and tissue donation, recipient of the Patient Advocate Award.

The Hall of Fame Celebration also brings attention to communities across the country on the importance of organ/tissue donation and brings attention to the huge shortage of donors, especially in minority communities. This celebration would not be possible without the support of community based organizations and companies such as Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc., Roche Pharmaceuticals, Novartis and Sangstat.

National MOTTEP® is the first national community-based grass roots program of its kind designed to empower minority communities to become involved is addressing the shortage of organ/tissue donors and encourage communities to live healthier lifestyles through an intense health promotion/disease prevention campaign.

Contact: Norman B. Brooks Project Director
National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program
202-865-4888