Dr. Juan Arenas, M.D. has announced a new kidney transplant program being developed for children and adults at Memorial Regional Hospital, adding to the myriad of services being performed at the growing medical center.
“We will offer kidney transplants to the community and we want to grow the program. During our first year, we want to do about 30 kidney transplants,” said Arenas.
Currently the program is placing children and adults who need kidneys on a list. When kidney donors become available, the kidney transplants will begin.
Arenas, a surgeon who specializes in abdominal transplants, noted that the hospital has a large community of people on dialysis who would be candidates for the transplants.
Arenas said that many people who needed kidney transplants would go outside of the area to receive a kidney. Often the patients would go to Miami to Jackson Health System. This program will allow them to have the transplant close to home.