Members of the Health and Human Services Facet of the Columbia Chapter of Links recently collaborated with the Women at Heart at its annual forum and exhibition at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The facet team, chaired by Dr.Deborah Davis, and co chaired by Dr.Felicia Goines, conducted the drive where it facilitated donor registration and provided education about the importance about donating organs, tissue and bone marrow.
Linkages to Life: Organ, Tissue and Bone Marrow Donation Awareness, is the signature program of the Health and Human Services Facet. Its mission is to promote and facilitate programs that support the maintenance of good health and the elimination of chronic health disparities in communities of color through education, health advocacy and optimal utilization of health resources. The Columbia Chapter of Links is actively engaged in promoting awareness about the critical need for organ donors in the African American community. A linkage to Life is truly the ultimate community service. It fosters working in collaboration with other organizations to increase awareness and participation by African Americans in organ donor programs in various venues. The full measure of what the Links, Incorporated will be able to accomplish with this program will not be realized for some years to come. The combined efforts of its national membership in informing and mobilizing African Americans to become bone marrow and organ donors will provide a great legacy and public health enhancement.
Founded in 1946, The Links Incorporated, an international women’s service organization is among the most prestigious associations of Black Women in the world. From its modest beginnings with nine women, the organization born in the wake of world war 11 has expanded and refined its mission and membership and today has a membership of 12,000+ women of African descent in 275 chapters in the United States and in the Bahamas. The members of the Links, Incorporated are physicians, dentists, judges, attorneys, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs, elected officials, non profit executives, authors, corporate executives and homemakers. They use their considerable resources to improve thee quality of life for others.
The chapter’s president, Mary Miller McClellan, believes that with continued education, our community will become galvanized and more responsive to the needs of African Americans waiting for transplants by becoming donors in order to make the ultimate gift, the gift of life. This program initiative was facilitated by Beryl Dakers, the chapter’s program Chairperson.
For additional information, please visit the chapter’s website: www.columbiasclinks.org