With Men’s Health Week, June 12-18, and Father’s Day, June 18, Angelo Reyes joins Donor Network West to raise awareness for organ donation and to celebrate his second chance at life.
Nevadan Angelo Reyes began his work day June 10, 2022 like any other, until a colleague mentioned that his eyes appeared yellow. This was the first sign of liver failure, which progressed rapidly. Driven by his sense of responsibility to his family and his son, he continued to work even as his skin began to yellow and his body held excess fluid. Reyes was placed on the transplant waiting list less than a month after his first symptom—at 47 years old, he needed a life-saving liver transplant.
“As I was in the hospital, I was looking back at my life because I wasn’t sure I’d make it,” Reyes said. “I was trying to see all my family and my siblings to say goodbye.”
Diagnosed with hepatitis B, Reyes underwent liver transplant surgery July 16, 2022 at Riverside Community Hospital. As a Filipino American who was born in the Philippines, he learned that hepatitis B disproportionately affects people born outside of the U.S.
In recognition of Men’s Health Week, June 12-18, 2023, and Father’s Day, Reyes is joining Donor Network West to share his story to inspire men and fathers to take their health seriously and learn more about the importance of organ donation. Taking place annually, Men’s Health Week leads up to Father’s Day as a dedicated time to raise awareness of health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among males.
Donor Network West is a nonprofit organization that works with transplant centers and hospitals to coordinate the transplantation of life-saving organs throughout northern Nevada and northern California. The organization works with organ donation advocates like Reyes to help educate communities about the life-saving impact of organ, eye and tissue donation.
“During Father’s Day and year-round, Donor Network West is honored to celebrate transplant recipients and share gratitude for organ donors and their families whose gifts have granted more time creating memories with fathers, uncles, brothers and loved ones,” said Janice Whaley, President and CEO of Donor Network West. “We are proud to partner with advocates like Angelo to educate and engage communities in our mission to help save and heal more lives through organ, eye and tissue donation.”
Since his transplant, Reyes has continued to heal and rebuild his strength. He looks forward to seeing his son, Joseph, succeed in his studies as an undergraduate student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Though not back to work just yet, Reyes is putting his strong work ethic to good use as an advocate for organ donation and regularly attends Donor Network West’s Transplant Support Group. Reyes also encourages people in the Filipino American community to talk about donation and the impact it can have.
“For people who have never considered registering as an organ donor before, I want them to know that I’m alive because of my donor,” he said. “All of us can help each other with what we’re given.”
One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and a tissue donor can heal as many as 75 lives. To learn more about organ and tissue donation, or to register as a donor, visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles or DonorNetworkWest.org.
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