By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez, Publisher
As Originally First Published in Mega Doctor News newsprint edition
This month we had the pleasure and honor of meeting with Dr. Patrick Stephen Almond, the Surgical Director of Driscoll Children’s Hospital Renal Transplant Program and Department Chair of Surgery for Driscoll Hospital.
He has all the credentials and more to become a Mega Doctor; he is featured in this issue of Mega Doctor News.
Mega Doctor News has covered the topic of kidney transplantation for adults in the past, however this is the first time that we meet someone like Dr. Almond that dedicates his professional skills for kidney transplantation for children.
We learned about him because Driscoll Children’s Hospital just recently inaugurated their Driscoll Children’s Valley Dialysis Center in McAllen Texas.
During this event Mega Doctor News had the opportunity to spend some time with Dr. Almond who allotted the necessary time to get to know what he does as the surgical director for this fine institution.
By preparing this article we also learned the big task that the hospital and these professionals have in order to serve a very large community of children with renal disease, below the latest report that covers the USA.
According to the National Kidney Foundation statistics as of May 21, 2014 there are currently 122,737 people waiting for lifesaving organ transplants in the U.S.
Of these, 100,602 await kidney transplants, and about nine percent are children as stated by Dr. Almond. The kidney organization also reported that last year; 14,029-kidney transplants took place in the U.S. Of these, 9,314-kidney transplants came from deceased donors and 4,715 came from living donors.
He is certified by the American Board of Surgery in both general and pediatric surgery and has been a surgeon for almost twenty years performing hundreds of kidney transplants, and 75 in Corpus Christi.
Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi has long been the South Texas leader in pediatric kidney care, with nephrology services beginning in 1999, dialysis services beginning in 2004 and the first renal transplant in 2007. Children of the Rio Grande Valley now will receive the same specialized, high-quality care right here in the Rio Grande Valley without having to travel elsewhere.
On another note, read about Dr. Farias that became the new President of the Texas Optometric Association
Dr. Fred Farias III, a Rio Grande Valley native, assumed the presidency of the Texas Optometric Association this year at the Association’s 114th Annual Convention.
Mega Doctor News also has a new column that originally debuted with our parent company Texas Border Business called Anecdote. This column brings original memories of what has happened in the Rio Grande Valley. This time I present an Anecdote of a particular message that caught my attention.
Dr. Lawrence Gelman an anesthesiologist and the Chief Hospital Executive of Doctors Hospital At Renaissance in Edinburg, Texas, shared this message during a visit to the area by Mrs. Hilary Clinton. He talks about what in his opinion defines Americans.
Mega Doctor News also had a conversation with Philip Schauer, M.D., the Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. He spoke about their important partnership with Doctors Hospital At Renaissance (DHR).
During this conversation he explained that the strategy of the partnership was education, bringing awareness to patients and doctors in this region about the problem of obesity, treatment, and preventive strategies.
Glance through this issue, I know that you will enjoy it!
It talked about what defines Americans?
Mega Doctor News also had a conversation with Philip Schauer, M.D., the Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Bariatric and Metabolic Institute. He spoke about their important partnership with Doctors Hospital at Renaissance (DHR).
During this conversation he said that the strategy of the partnership was education, bringing awareness to patients and doctors in this region about the problem of obesity, treatment, and preventive strategies.
Glance thought this issue; I know that you will enjoy it! MDN
