TSI Trustees
Iliana Valdez
Iliana was born in Havana, Cuba. Due to the political situation in that country, she came to the United States as part of the Pedro Pan Organization. Iliana was relocated with her sister and 14 other Cuban children to an orphanage in Washington, D.C. She graduated from St. Anthony High School in Washington, D.C. and that summer entered religious life with the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’Ricci. Iliana was sent to minister in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she was diagnosed with chronic glomerulonephritis sclerosis which affected her kidneys.
In 1999, she started dialysis and continued to pray that if God wanted her to continue to minister to His people, He would give her that strength she needed. Iliana spent one and a half years on dialysis and then received the Gift of Life (from a 35 year old woman). Each day she prays for her donor and gives thanks for another day of New Life.
Professional Work:
1989- present - Ministry to Farm Workers and Poor, Homestead, FL and Migrant Camps in Southern Florida
1984-1989 - Ministry to Farm Workers – St. Ann’s Mission, Naranja, FL
1977-1984 - Pastoral Ministry – Sacred Heart Church, Albuquerque, NM
1972-1977 - Staff Member – Dominican Retreat House – Albuquerque, NM
1967-1972 - Staff Member – Dominican Retreat House – Miami, FL
Transplants Activities:
Volunteer with Life Alliance in Miami focusing on organ donation awareness among Hispanics through radio and TV interviews
Walk with pre-transplant patients
Member of Transplant Speakers International
Member of Transplant Foundation
Awards:
1998 - American Dominican Alumnae of the Year Award
1997 - Chevrolet Merit of Honor Award
