(Black PR Wire) August marks National Wellness Month, a time to focus on our overall health and well-being. During this month, we encourage people to take care of their minds and bodies by getting enough sleep, taking a social media break or trying something new. We also shine a light on two observances that intersects with wellness: Minority Donor Awareness Month and Black Breastfeeding Week.

Minority Donor Awareness Month aims to increase organ donation rates among minority communities, improving health outcomes and saving lives. According to the Office of Minority Health, African Americans make up the largest group of minorities in need of an organ transplant. In 2021, non-Hispanic blacks made up 12.1 percent of the national population.

Black Breastfeeding Week, which takes place August 25th – 31st, seeks to raise awareness about the breastfeeding disparities among Black families. Breastfeeding is a crucial aspect of maternal and child health, yet Black mothers face significant barriers to breastfeeding success. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Fewer non-Hispanic Black infants (77.3%) are ever breastfed compared with Asian infants (87.1%), non-Hispanic White infants (85.3%) and Hispanic infants (81.9%).

This National Wellness Month let’s prioritize minority health and wellness!

Sources: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/organ-donation-and-african-americans; https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/facts.html