Hispanic Men at a Higher Risk of Needing an Organ Transplant

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Hispanic men in the United States tend to have a more passive approach to their health than other men in the United States, putting them at risk of being diagnosed with life-threatening diseases when is too late.

Diabetes, liver failure, hypertension and obesity are among the top diseases that affect Latino men.

Type 2 diabetes often referred to as the ‘silent killer’ often presents no symptoms and can cause loss of eyesight, stroke and kidney failure.

Liver disease which is often genetic or caused by obesity can rapidly damage the liver beyond repair.

Heart disease, when left untreated, can cause blood clots and lead to a heart attack or stroke and sometimes death.

“Hispanic men place great emphasis and pride on supporting their families and being great providers; there is nothing more important to them than living up to this social expectation,” explains Raiza Mendoza, Manager of Hispanic Affairs. “At the same time, when Latino men fall ill, the entire family suffers severe emotional and financial distress. This is why it is crucial that our families make healthcare maintenance and illness prevention open topics of discussion.”

Marco Antonio Deleon, a father of six and grandfather of two, like many Latino men he often didn’t make health his top-priority.

For seven years he managed to use a pacemaker until one day he suffered a heart attack, causing him to need a heart transplant,putting him on a waiting list for a compatible donor that often  takes up to three years.

Fortunately for Deleon he received a call from the hospital with the news they had found a heart for him after only two months on the waiting list.

“As a father, watching my children grow up and having the energy to play with my grandchildren is priceless,” De Leon says. “Health is everything, and thanks to the transplant I can now look forward to sharing many more years with my family members, who need me and depend on me.”

But not everyone is as lucky as Deleon, according to the organization Gift Hope, there are currently 81,000 men on the national transplant waiting list. 65,000 men are waiting for kidney transplants, 9,704 need liver transplants and 3,178 need heart transplants.

As we celebrate Father’s day this Sunday, let’s take the time to talk to the men in our families about the importance of illness prevention and early detection of diseases like hypertension, diabetes, liver and heart disease.