Kidney Transplant

Spanish Language Clinic

The UI Health Kidney Transplant Program created the Spanish Language Clinic knowing how important it is for patients and their loved ones to feel safe, informed, and confident about the transplant journey. Our team of Spanish-language transplant experts and staff ensure that members of the Spanish-speaking and Hispanic populations feel empowered about the kidney transplant process and that all of their concerns are addressed in a safe, culturally sensitive manner.

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Meet the Team

Almario Alvarez, MD

Dr. Almario Alvarez was born and raised in Colombia, South America. He is a surgeon and Assistant Professor of Clinical Surgery in the Division of Transplantation at UI Health. Dr. Almario Alvarez has extensive experience and knowledge in liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation. He completed his liver, kidney, and pancreas Fellowship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.

Cynthia Meza, BSN, RN 

Cynthia Meza, BSN, RN is from Chicago, IL, has been a nurse since 2009, and at UI Health since 2012. Cynthia provides focused, exceptional care to Change to Chicago’s Latinx patient population.

About the Hispanic Kidney Transplant Clinic

Led by transplant surgeon Dr. Jorge Almario and nurse Cynthia Meza, the Spanish Language Clinic takes place weekly on Tuesdays 8 am–1pm and Fridays, from 1 to 5 pm.

When you come to the clinic, you will meet with bilingual members of our Transplant Team, who will discuss your health history and potential next steps for kidney transplant evaluation. You can ask your team questions, and you will receive Spanish materials to take home, so you can review with family and loved ones.

Committed to Your Kidney Transplant Success

UI Health has a commitment to serving Chicago's Spanish-speaking population, and we serve more Hispanic patients than any other academic medical center in the city. We are proud to provide transplant options that may not be available at other health systems, including transplant for high-risk patients, such as those who are overweight or with conditions like diabetes or peripheral vascular disease. We also offer paired kidney exchange, or “kidney swap,” for patients with donor blood-type incompatibilities. And our survival and graft-survival rates exceed UNOS and CMS national benchmarks.

We're proud to represent and serve our communities, and we are committed to helping you achieve your best health.