[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 23638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING LINKS, INC.

 Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, today I recognize the North 
Jersey Chapter of the Links, Inc.'s Linkages to Life Program, and honor 
the program participants for their hard work and dedication to raising 
awareness about the importance of blood, tissue, marrow, and organ 
donation among minority communities.
  Each year, for the past 5 years, Links, Inc., in collaboration with 
Roche Pharmaceutical Company, conducted the Linkages to Life Program to 
help save lives by educating individuals of African descent about 
blood, tissue, marrow, and organ donation. With the help of a 
publication called Can We Talk? they were able to reach a large number 
of individuals, and educate them about how they can help save lives by 
being a volunteer donor. More specifically, the North Jersey Chapter 
provided important education services to individuals and families in 
Essex, Hudson, Bergen, and Passaic Counties.
  Today, approximately 93,000 people are awaiting transplant surgery, 
and 25 percent of the people awaiting transplants are of African 
descent. In New Jersey, there are close to 3,000 individuals awaiting 
an organ transplant. Since organs are matched by a number of factors, 
including blood and tissue typing, which can vary by race, patients are 
more likely to find matches among donors of their same race or 
ethnicity. Given the large number of individuals of African descent 
awaiting transplants, it is critical to increase the knowledge about 
donating blood, tissue, marrow, and organs among all races and 
ethnicities.
  Since 1996, our country reserves the second weekend in November to 
emphasize the need for life-saving and life-altering blood, organ, 
marrow, and tissue donation in houses of worship throughout the United 
States. This program is known as the National Organ Donor Sabbath, and 
November 10-12, 2006, marked the 10th anniversary celebration.
  Links, Inc., is built on a foundation of friendship and service. 
Today, it contains a network or more than 10,000 African-American 
women. This year the motto for Links, Inc., is ``Seizing the 
Opportunity to Provide World Class Leadership, Friendship and 
Service.'' The members of the North Jersey Chapter of Links, Inc., 
exemplify that motto.
  Mr. President, I am pleased to recognize the dedication and 
commitment of the North Jersey Chapter of Link's, Inc., members to help 
others. I urge my colleagues to join me in thanking these individuals 
for helping fellow New Jerseyans live longer and healthier 
lives.

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