Two organisations working within the Christian community are joining the campaign to get black, Asian and minority ethnic people signing up as organ donors.
They are launching projects to encourage people to become lifesaving organ donors after bidding for a share of a £140,000 Community Investment Scheme (CIS) funding pot.
The scheme is part of a government campaign led by NHS Blood and Transplant, with support from the National BAME Transplant Alliance (NBTA), to break down myths and barriers and increase support for organ donation among black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
While there is an urgent shortage of organs for transplant for people from all backgrounds, the problem is particularly acute for black, Asian and minority ethnic patients as they are more susceptible to illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, which could result in organ failure.
Although many black, Asian and minority ethnic patients can receive a transplant from a white donor, for many the best match will come from a donor from the same ethnic background.
The organisations delivering the projects are the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) in Greater Manchester, and RAFFA in Birmingham.
The project led by RAFFA, 'God loves a donor', aims to reach black and Asian Christians in the Birmingham area. It will encourage places of worship to register as organ donation campaigners and equip voluntary nurses with information to lead awareness talks in spiritual settings.
The 'Precious Life Savers' project by CAHN aims to engage with faith leaders and their congregations in black majority churches in Greater Manchester.
Rev Charles Kwaku-Odoi of CAHN said: "It was through our work with NHS Blood and Transplant specialist nurses that we became aware of the disproportionately high number of black people waiting for a transplant, and the shortage of donors.
'Over 80 percent of our community are involved with a church, and we feel that recruiting faith leaders as ambassadors and engaging people in church settings can be really effective ways to reach people with a positive organ donation message.'
Faye Bruce, chair of CAHN, said: 'This Community Investment Scheme funding will help us to carry out this work in churches across Greater Manchester, helping to overcome the cultural myths around organ donation and raise awareness of this urgent issue affecting our community.'
The CIS was open to any faith or community-based organisation working within black, Asian and minority communities in England and Wales.
NHS spokesman Anthony Clarkson said: 'Hearing a positive organ donation message from a trusted, community-led or local organisation will, we hope, encourage more people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds to decide that they want to be a lifesaving organ donor and to share that decision with their families.'
