Special Organ Transplant Program for Hispanics Increases Access For Low Income Immigrants

The transplant program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital has a specialized kidney program for Hispanic patients only that has doubled in size since 2006 and is now offering Hispanic patients special programs in liver transplantation as well. The program is led by Columbian-born transplant surgeon Dr. Juan Carlos Caicedo and accepts Hispanic patients who qualify medically, regardless of legal immigration status or ability to pay.Mexican immigrants Amparo Cossio and Estanislao Garcia tell their stories and Gift of Hope Hispanic outreach coordinator Raiza Mendoza discusses her work in trying to increase organ donation from the Hispanic community, which has traditionally had a very low rate of donation.