Donor Registry
Regalo de Vida
According to Census 2000, Hispanics comprise 32 percent of the population in Texas and 21 percent of the population within LifeGift's service area. This growing community is expected to account for 38 to 42 percent of the Texas population by 2010. With the growth of the Hispanic community comes a growing number of Hispanic men, women and children who need organ and tissue transplants.
LifeGift's Regalo de Vida (the Gift of Life) program provides a dialogue with Hispanics about the incredible lifesaving gift of organ and tissue donation. The program focuses on dispelling many myths and misconceptions that Hispanics and others reportedly believe about organ donation.
One such misconception relates to the view of the Catholic Church on donation. In fact, the church views donation as an act of charity, fraternal love and self-sacrifice.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Organ transplants are in conformity with the moral law if the physical and psychological dangers and risks to the donor are proportionate to the good that is sought for the recipient."
But the value of donation is best explained by someone who has received this special gift.
"Before receiving my donated kidney, I spent four to six hours, three days a week on dialysis machines. I have four children, and this kept me from spending valuable time with them," said recipient Maria Hernandez. "Now, thanks to my donor, I no longer need dialysis.
"Our culture plays a major role in the way many of us think about organ donation," Hernandez reflected. "We are brought up believing that when we die, we should keep all that we have. However, by becoming an organ donor, you give someone, like me, a second chance at life."
Download our Regalo de Vida Brochure to read about other Hispanics who have given and received the gift of life.
For more information about the Regalo de Vida program, contact Ariana Montelongo at or 800-633-6562.
