The DHR Health Transplant Institute announced on Tuesday that 101 kidney transplants were successfully performed in 2025. It’s the highest number of kidney transplants completed in a year since the Institute opened in 2017.

A news release from DHR Health called the achievement a historic milestone for the Rio Grande Valley.

“This monumental achievement for DHR Health’s Transplant Institute represents 101 lives saved and 101 lives transformed for patients and their families living in the Rio Grande Valley,” the news release stated. “For these patients, kidney transplantation means they are free from regular dialysis treatments with the opportunity to regain their quality of life and live a longer life.”

According to Dr. Sridhar Allam, the DHR Health transplant nephrologist and medical director of the Transplant Institute, the need for transplant care in the Valley is especially important. The Valley has a prevalence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, which significantly increase the risk of kidney failure.

“Unfortunately, the RGV has some of the highest rates of kidney failure in the country. There are currently about 4,000 patients on dialysis in this region alone,” Allam said. “Our goal is to continue to provide world-class transplant care that is close to home, so patients don’t have to travel long distances for treatment.”

There are over 100,000 people waiting for an organ transplant across the country, according to the news release. Every eight minutes, another person is added to the transplant waiting list and 13 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant.

More information on the DHR Health Transplant Institute, located at 1100 E. Dove Avenue, is available online.