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Kidney Health & YOU: A Community Event for the Community

Bringing Healthcare Where It’s Needed Most

The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas Medical Center hosted our first Kidney Health & You event at Friendship West Baptist Church in South Dallas. 

Kidney Health & YOU was created with a simple but powerful goal: To bring the resources directly to the community — where the need is the greatest.

By partnering with local churches and community organizations, this event connects residents with trusted medical professionals to educate, empower, and engage through open conversation, shared knowledge, and real solutions. Together, we’re building healthier futures—right here at home.

Disease Burden in Our Community

The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas Medical Center is deeply rooted in South Dallas — a community where 74% of residents identify as Black or Hispanic, and 71% live in low-to-moderate income households. These neighborhoods experience some of the highest levels of socioeconomic deprivation in Dallas County, as identified by the Area Deprivation Index. This makes access to care, health education, and equity more critical than ever.

About the Event

This free, community-focused event offered an interactive and welcoming environment where attendees could learn about kidney disease prevention, detection, and treatment, and gain insight into the transplant and living donation process. Experts from The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas provided valuable education and answered questions about navigating barriers to care, from insurance to healthcare mistrust.

Topics Included:

  • Kidney Disease: Prevention, early detection, and ongoing health maintenance
  • Treatment Options: Dialysis, transplantation, and the power of living donation
  • Overcoming Barriers: Addressing inequities, financial hurdles, and healthcare stigmas

Meet Our Experts

Presenters from The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas Medical Center:

  • Dr. Christie Gooden – Transplant Surgeon
  • Diane Anderson, RN – Nurse Clinical Coordinator & Outreach Coordinator
  • Rita Terry, RN – Transplant Coordinator
  • LaDonna Robinson, LMSW – Manager, Transplant Business Operations

Emcee: Uyvonnie Ford, BSN, RN – Kidney Dialysis Liaison, UT Southwestern

Panel Discussion Featuring:

  • Elanderia Rowe, LCSW – Multi-Divisional Lead Social Worker, DaVita
  • Transplant Recipient 
  • Living Donor Pair (Paired Donation) – Recipient and Donor

Why It Matters

Kidney disease and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) disproportionately affect African American and Hispanic populations:

  • African Americans are 3x more likely to develop kidney failure compared to White Americans
  • Hispanic/Mexican Americans experience higher rates of ESRD, largely due to higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension
  • Many face lower access to early diagnosis and transplant evaluation, often due to income, geography, insurance status, and awareness

By meeting people where they are — in churches, community centers, and trusted spaces — we aim to change those statistics and bridge the gap in access, education, and care.

What’s Next

The Friendship West Baptist Church event is just the beginning of a larger community initiative. Our goal is to expand Kidney Health & YOU to churches, clinics, and organizations across the region — continuing to educate, empower, and engage.

If you or your organization would like to host a future Kidney Health & YOU event, please contact our team at The Transplant Institute at Methodist Dallas Medical Center at MDMC_Transplant@mhd.com

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