April is Donate Life Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the lives saved through organ donation and encouraging more people to register as donors. With over 103,000 individuals currently awaiting an organ transplant in the U.S., and nearly 87% of those needing a kidney, the importance of organ donation is paramount.
Parkland Health has been at the forefront of kidney transplantation for over six decades, achieving a historic milestone by performing the first successful kidney transplant in Texas in November 1964 at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Since then, thousands of Parkland patients have been given a second chance at life.
Among these recipients is Angel Escalante, whose story embodies the profound impact of family support, unwavering hope, and the selfless generosity of an organ donor. In 2019, Escalante's life took an unexpected turn when a routine physical revealed his kidneys were failing due to membranous nephropathy, an autoimmune disease. His health rapidly deteriorated, and doctors gave him only months to live without intervention.
Despite the daunting prognosis, Escalante found strength in his resilience and the unwavering support of his family. His sister played a crucial role in navigating the complex process of getting him on the organ donation waitlist. "Once we found Parkland, everything started to fall into place," Escalante recalled, emphasizing the crucial support of his transplant coordinators, Deepa Mani and Sunitha Lordson. He was placed on the kidney transplant waiting list within months.
While initially on the deceased donor list, Escalante's family members, including his sister, cousins, and brother-in-law, stepped forward to be evaluated as living donors. Though none of his biological family were a match, his brother-in-law, Anton Palmer, proved to be a viable donor.
In November 2020, Escalante received the life-changing gift of a kidney transplant. "When I received my kidney, it was a new beginning. I couldn’t believe it, but I felt so thankful," he said. "It gave me a second chance at life."
Thanks to his brother-in-law's selfless act and the dedicated team at Parkland, Escalante recovered and was able to pursue his long-held dream of becoming a truck driver. He now holds his CDL license, a goal he had put on hold due to his illness.
Escalante remains deeply grateful for the gift of organ donation, urging others to consider becoming donors. "If you want to be a donor, it’s a big decision," he said. "But the most important thing is that you’re putting others before yourself. You’re saving a life. And that is the greatest gift you can give."
Dr. Joe Lockridge, Medical Director of Kidney Transplantation at Parkland, highlighted the profound impact of living donation. "Living donation is a tremendous act of pure altruism as there is no medical benefit to the donor from donating a kidney," he explained. "Anton’s gift has improved Angel’s life expectancy, allowed him to return to work, enjoy time spent with his family and loved ones, and thrive, as we all should. That impact is immeasurable."
Escalante continues to visit Parkland for regular check-ups, cherishing the connection with the care team that saved his life, whom he considers his "second family." His message to others facing similar health challenges is one of unwavering hope: "Even before the transplant, there was still hope. Don’t give up. There’s always hope, no matter what you’re going through."
Dr. Lockridge emphasized Parkland's commitment to providing high-quality care to an underserved population, often facing additional challenges. He stated, "At Parkland, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality care to an underserved population... We welcome these patients by leveraging Parkland’s robust health system infrastructure to ensure adequate access to transplant essentials... Our system requires more time and effort, but we know the patients deserve this level of care to optimize transplant success and ensure a healthier and more productive life."
