STHS Heart to host special ceremony to encourage organ donor registration

SOUTH TEXAS HEALTH SYSTEM HEART TO CLOSE OUT NATIONAL DONATE LIFE MONTH WITH SPECIAL CEREMONY ENCOURAGING ORGAN DONOR REGISTRATION

As National Donate Life Month draws to an end, South Texas Health System Heart will welcome McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos for a final push to encourage community members to register as organ, eye and tissue donors

Organ donation provides individuals with the rare opportunity to help save the lives of others. One deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives and impact the lives of as many as 75 people.

In 2022, there were more than 42,000 transplants made possible by 21,300 donors. However, another person is added to the national organ transplant waiting list every nine minutes. Today, there are more than 100,000 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in the United States and 60% of them are minorities.

As National Donate Life Month draws to a close, South Texas Health System Heart will be making one last push to encourage more people to become organ, eye and tissue donors. In partnership with the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), STHS Heart will host a special event on Thursday, April 27, at 2:00 p.m. that will include the participation of individuals whose lives that been impacted by organ donation.

During the event, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos will officially sign a proclamation declaring April as National Donate Life Month while expressing gratitude to those who have given the gift of life. Additionally, those who have signed up or pledge to become an organ donor will be able to leave their mark on the facility’s official “Tree of Life” in the courtyard.

Overall, the celebration will be devoted to remembering their sacrifices and highlighting the lives they made possible in hopes of inspiring others to become registered donors.

About South Texas Health System
South Texas Health System is a multi-facility healthcare system serving patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The system includes four acute care facility campuses with specialties in pediatrics, heart and vascular services, maternity and women’s health and trauma services. Inpatient and outpatient treatment for behavioral health needs and addictive disorders is also provided through the system’s South Texas Health System Behavioral facility. South Texas Health System is affiliated with the South Texas Clinical Partners ACO, Prominence Health Plan, and Cornerstone Regional Hospital. The system operates an advanced Level I Trauma Center at South Texas Health System McAllen, the first and only freestanding children’s facility and pediatric ER at South Texas Health System Children’s, the region’s only freestanding heart hospital and specialized cardiac ER at South Texas Health System Heart, and six freestanding emergency rooms located in and around Weslaco, Mission, Edinburg, McAllen and Alamo. For more information about the system and its comprehensive services, please visit www.southtexashealthsystem.com.

Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of South Texas Health System. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians.

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