Celebrating Donate Life Month

A Puerto Rico 40th Anniversary

April is National Donate Life Month - a campaign encouraging Americans to become registered organ donors and honor those who have saved lives through the gift of donation. One way Methodist is honoring National Donate Life month is highlighting a momentous milestone in our lifesaving transplant efforts in Puerto Rico!

In Fall of 2023, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Methodist Dallas Medical Center’s first kidney transplant to a patient from Puerto Rico.

Since 1983, we have performed nearly 600 kidney transplants on Puerto Rican patients who have come through the Transplant Institute Methodist Dallas - San Juan location. This truly remarkable achievement has changed the lives of thousands and continues to make a substantial impact on the transplant needs in Puerto Rico.

Advancing Transplant Education

Just as Donate Life America (and Donate Life Texas) works tirelessly to create awareness about organ donation, Methodist also believes in the power of spreading transplant education.

In June 2024, we held our first ever Transplant Learning Conference in Puerto Rico. Our goal was to fill knowledge gaps around transplantation, especially for those working on the front lines. We invited all dialysis center social workers and nurses on the island and offered this continuing-education course entirely in Spanish.

“It was an honor to present alongside Drs. Nazario, Dominguez, Velez and Castillo-Lugo,” says Dr. Mejia. “We had over 300 attendees join us for this entirely free event. It’s incredible to see how Methodist is contributing to the expansion of quality transplant care in Puerto Rico.”

Continuing to serve

In the 40 years since we performed our first kidney transplant on a patient from Puerto Rico, our footprint has grown and continues to grow. Methodist is actively involved in serving this patient population by participating in local efforts to raise awareness and funds for end-stage renal disease as well as organizing and launching a local Transplant Support Group in May 2024.

With almost 150 Puerto Ricans currently on the transplant waitlist, we know our efforts here are ongoing and remain committed to removing barriers to life-saving transplant care.

For more information about transplant services in Puerto Rico, please fill out this form or call: (214) 947-4400.