Family Honors Donor’s Wish With Organ Procurement That Saved Four Lives
WORLD NEWS – MEXICO: In Saltillo, Coahuila, a family transformed a tragic accident into a life-saving chain of care when they authorized organ procurement after a man suffered a fatal fall from a second floor. The Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social team at Hospital General de Zona 2 carried out the first organ procurement of 2026 in the state on the night of January 1, following the declaration of brain death on December 31. Medical staff acted quickly under established national protocols to assess viability and arrange transfer of tissues for transplantation.
Clinical evaluation by the national transplant authority determined that, given the donor’s age, kidneys and corneas were suitable for recovery. Surgical teams from the IMSS center in Cuernavaca joined colleagues in Saltillo to perform the procurement, coordinating with the national allocation center to place the organs with patients in urgent need. Two recipients received kidney transplants and recovered renal function; two additional recipients are scheduled to receive corneal transplants that can restore vision.
The operation followed strict procedural and ethical guidelines, with hospital teams implementing the national transplantation protocol to ensure equitable distribution and safety. Coordination between Hospital General de Zona 2, the regional IMSS center, and the national transplant coordination body exemplified the networked effort required for timely transplantation work across regions. Medical staff emphasized that careful screening was essential to determine which tissues could be used effectively.
As the surgical team prepared to move the donor into the operating room, hospital staff, friends and family formed a corridor of gratitude, lining the hallways with applause and white balloons in a symbolic farewell. That gesture underlined the solemnity and generosity of donation: amid personal loss, the family’s consent enabled procedures that will give renewed health and sight to four other people, highlighting the profound community impact of organ and tissue transplantation.
Video originally published on 2026-01-03 22:17:25
