The transplant waiting list has 160 patients waiting for an organ in the province of Alicante

The transplant waiting lists in the province of Alicante currently have around 160 patients waiting to receive an organ that could improve or save their lives. This situation was explained by Miguel Perdiguero, head of the Transplant Coordination Service at the Doctor Balmis University General Hospital in Alicante and provincial sector coordinator, on the occasion of National Organ and Tissue Donor Day. Perdiguero noted that, although Spain continues to be a world leader in organ donation and transplantation, the need for organs remains a reality for hundreds of patients. “There are increasingly more indications for transplantation and more people on the waiting list. Some patients die before the organ they need becomes available,” he pointed out.

In the province, there are approximately 20 patients awaiting a liver transplant. These are patients with serious illnesses for whom a transplant is a vital necessity, as many face a high risk of mortality if they do not receive an organ within a relatively short time. Transplant coordinators emphasise the importance of discussing organ donation within families to continue saving lives.

In addition, there are approximately 140 patients awaiting a kidney transplant in the Alicante and Elche health districts. Although these patients can be managed with dialysis treatments, specialists emphasise that a transplant offers a better quality of life and reduces complications associated with chronic kidney disease.

Given this situation, the transplant coordinator emphasised the importance of organ donation and expressed gratitude for the solidarity of donors and their families. “Every donor is invaluable. Each donation can mean the difference between life and death for someone waiting for a transplant.” In fact, a dozen people die each year in the province while waiting, primarily for a liver, as many are cancer patients (a disease that makes transplantation possible) whose condition worsens and they die before receiving an organ.

Specifically, on the occasion of National Donor Day, the Dr Balmis service has remembered the 1,140 organ donors registered since the beginning of its transplant programme, a figure that reflects the solidarity of hundreds of families and that has made it possible to save and improve the lives of thousands of people, the centre highlights.

This year’s campaign, coordinated by the Union of Solid Organ Transplant Recipients in collaboration with the National Transplant Organisation (ONT), has the slogan “Give LIFE a LIKE. Donate organs, give futures.”

The event held at the Alicante hospital was attended by representatives from the Alicante Association for the Fight Against Kidney Diseases (ALCER) and the Association of Liver Patients and Transplant Recipients of the Valencian Community. Representing the hospital’s management was Inés González, Deputy Director of Nursing for Quality, Teaching, Research, and Information Systems, who expressed her gratitude to the donors and their families.

To mark this commemoration, a large, participatory mural has been installed in the hospital’s main lobby with the message “Thank you, donors.” The space also includes a tribute in which transplant recipients express their gratitude to donors and their families for giving them a new lease on life.

Dr Perdiguero expressed his gratitude to the transplant associations for creating this beautiful space in our hospital, which allows us to hear the voices of those who have received a second chance thanks to a transplant, as well as those of their families, healthcare professionals, and the general public. They all have the opportunity to leave a message of thanks or share their reflections. The mural will be moved to the area opposite the Transplant Coordination entrance to facilitate greater participation.

The day also included a floral tribute at the monument erected in honour of organ donors on the hospital grounds. In addition, the event featured a musical performance by Dr Francisco Cholbi, pianist, along with María José Yáñez Navarro and Ignacio Hernández Gosálvez, who played several pieces on the piano recently donated by the Musicians for Health Foundation.

This year, the national campaign has sought to highlight the pillars that have made the Spanish donation model an international benchmark: sustained global leadership for decades; the public, universal, and equitable nature of the system; effective coordination between all levels of care; the commitment to quality and continuous improvement; and the high specialisation of the healthcare professionals who make each transplant possible.

As Marian Miralles, Transplant Coordinator Nurse, points out, “Our goal is to create a festive event, a celebration of life made possible by organ donation.” She also noted that Doctor Balmis Hospital registered a total of 31 donors in 2025, of whom 27 were deceased donors and four were living donors.

Both Dr Perdiguero and Marian Miralles emphasised the importance of discussing organ donation from a young age and within the family. “Talking about donation at home saves lives. The Spanish organ donation model is an international benchmark that we must all work together to maintain this culture of solidarity. For over a year, we have been promoting an educational project that introduces these concepts in classrooms, and it is being very well received,” the coordinator concluded.