Dia de los Muertos Event at Brockton Public Library

New England Donor Services (NEDS) will partner with the Brockton Public Library for a Day of the Dead (“Día de los Muertos”) Remembrance Program on Tuesday, October 27th. This free, public event from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. will feature an ofrenda from NEDS with photos of organ donors to pay tribute to those who have given the gift of life through organ donation, while also raising awareness about the vital need for organ donors.

Día de los Muertos is an annual Mexican observance, also celebrated throughout Latin America and many parts of the U.S., where families remember and welcome the souls of their deceased relatives for a celebratory reunion. The observance is usually celebrated from October 31st to November 3rd. NEDS’ ofrenda will be on display in the library’s art space from October 27th to November 3rd.

The Hispanic community is disproportionately affected by health issues that could result in the need for an organ transplant. Hispanic individuals currently represent 23 percent of the national organ transplant waiting list and are at risk of death if the needed organ is not donated and transplanted in time. Research has shown that compatible blood types and biological markers, important factors in donor matching, are found in members of the same race or ethnicity, highlighting the need for more Hispanic organ donors. While the number of Hispanic patients receiving a transplant has steadily increased for over a decade, there is still a racial and ethnic imbalance in the donor pool. NEDS continuously works to draw attention to and address the racial disparities in organ donation.

The event also comes as NEDS achieved a record number of transplants last year. In 2025, NEDS coordinated organ donations from 640 deceased donors resulting in 1,692 life-saving transplants. This record number of organ transplants represents the fifth consecutive year of growth and places NEDS among the nation’s top three organ procurement organizations (OPOs) by donor and transplant volume. Since 2020, NEDS has increased the number of life-saving organ transplants from New England organ donors by 65 percent. In addition, the organization’s Aftercare team provided care to 3,390 new donor families last year. In 2025, NEDS also coordinated 1,628 donor family and recipient letters, and 1,426 individuals impacted by organ donation attended NEDS-sponsored events.

WHO: The event will feature: Ingrid Palacios, Senior Multicultural Program Manager at New England Donor Services and Done Vida New England Brockton Public Library Representatives Local musicians
Donors families and transplant recipients

WHEN: Remembrance Program:
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Ofrenda Display:
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 to Tuesday, November 3, 2026