Mega Doctor News
In observation of National Donate Life Month, the DHR Health Transplant Institute, in collaboration with the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), held a poignant event and flag raising ceremony on April 8, 2026 at its main campus in Edinburg. The event served as a powerful reminder of the profound impact organ donation has on countless lives and those who have given the gift of life. As the only kidney transplant institute serving residents of the Rio Grande Valley, DHR Health remains committed to providing world-class care that is close to home. By offering specialized transplantation services locally, the DHR Health Transplant Institute ensures that residents do not have to travel out of town to receive a second chance at life.
The event featured City of Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa who presented the Transplant Institute with a formal proclamation recognizing April as “National Donate Life Month.” The highlight of the event was moving testimony by Ruby Salinas, a living donor who donated her kidney to mother in 2025. Salinas shared her emotional journey of what her family faced when her mother was confronted with the terrifying choice between starting dialysis or undergoing a transplant.
“As a child watching your mother worry, you feel helpless,” Salinas told the audience. After the family chose to proceed with the transplant at DHR Health, Salinas said that her fear was replaced by a sense of mission. “On the day of surgery, I wasn’t afraid because I knew something incredible was going to happen. I wasn’t going to lose something; I was giving something.”
Salinas described the experience as transformative, adding that her mother is now healthy and smiling. “In return, I gained something even greater–a deeper connection with my mom, a stronger sense of purpose, and a new perspective on what truly matters in life,” she added. “Even in uncertain times, we still have the power to show up for the people we love. We still have the power to make a difference.”
Established in 2017, the DHR Health Transplant Institute is the only medical facility of its kind south of San Antonio and Houston. The multidisciplinary team of physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, dieticians and other healthcare providers at the DHR Health Transplant Institute provide specialized and compassionate care for kidney, liver, and pancreatic disorders, including kidney transplantation. The DHR Health Transplant Institute is certified by the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
For individuals interested in becoming an organ donor, visit the Donate Life Texas website at donatelifetexas.org for more information.
The DHR Health Transplant Institute is located at 1100 E. Dove Avenue, Suite 200, in McAllen. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (956) 362-5433.
