Stories of Hope
Hilda
Hilda Chávez never imagined that her life would change from one day to the next. After experiencing several health symptoms, she was hospitalized and received news that changed everything: her kidneys were no longer functioning, and her life would depend on a transplant to heal and have a second chance at life.
In June 2017, Hilda received a kidney transplant in Colorado. Although the process was filled with fear and uncertainty, it also brought hope and the possibility of living fully again, especially being well for her family.
Throughout her journey as a patient, Hilda became aware of the significant lack of information within the Latino community about kidney disease, dialysis, and transplants. This realization led her to create Guerreras Latinas, an organization she now directs, with the mission of educating and supporting people on dialysis, those waiting for a transplant, and those who have already received one.
Today, Hilda feels deeply grateful. She knows that organ donation transforms lives and communities, and she hopes her donor’s family knows that their gift of life not only saved hers, but also the lives of many others she now supports. Her story shows that love and generosity can change the lives of others, even people we have never met.
More Stories
Will
After losing her brother, Will, Hannah is finding comfort in knowing his decision to become a donor gave others a second chance at life. She shares how his legacy continues to make an impact and why having conversations about organ, eye and tissue donation matters. “He was everything to so many people,” Hannah said. “He […]
Clayton
Beth and Larry Sparks will always remember their son Clayton as kindhearted, full of life, and the kind of person who made everyone feel like they belonged. In 2019, Clayton died at just 24 years old. Before his death, he made the decision to be an organ donor. That decision now lives on in multiple […]
Rita
Rita believed that generosity was a way of life. “I am always blessed to receive because I am always willing to give,” she would often say. When Rita passed away in 2023, her daughter, Elita, found solace in those very words. Knowing her mother had chosen to be an organ donor helped shift her focus […]