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The International
Association for Organ Donation was established in
1999 by Dr. Fouad Beydoun. Dr. Beydoun began this
call to action after his youngest son, Khalil
Beydoun, received a kidney transplant in Lebanon in
1992. His continued determination to guarantee
everyone the same chance that his own son had has
allowed the organization to flourish and grow over
the last six years.
The importance of raising awareness of organ
donation and transplantation has been the continued
mission of the organization since its conception.
The IAOD has been actively involved in the Arab and
Asian communities during the last two years, raising
awareness about minority organ donation through a
federally funded grant program. This program has
created an opportunity for the organization to be
involved in both of these communities’ events,
churches, and mosques and to create an open
discussion amongst religious leaders so that they
may help spread the word.
The organization is also currently working with
members of the automotive industry (Ford,
Daimler-Chrysler and General Motors) in a workplace
initiative entitled “Quest for Life” This campaign
allows members of the IAOD staff to reach out
through interventions to various members of the
community.
Through the last six years the IAOD has registered
over 9,000 new people to the State Organ Donor
Registry and continues to increase that number every
day.
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