'India' promotes Latino Organization for Liver Awareness

At a Felton Night Club performance on September 23, 1995, Salsa diva India introduced her cousin, Debbie Delgado-Vega, to the audience. In 1992, at the age of 29, Delgado-Vega, had been diagnosed with Autoimmune Liver Disease, which is fatal. Delgado-Vega founded the Latino Organization for Liver Awareness (L.O.L.A.). Delgado-Vega, with the support of India, are trying to educate the public about how important it is to become a liver donor. There is very little information available to the Latino community in Spanish concerning liver disease. It is also a relatively unknown fact that Latinos are the largest ethnic number of donors of liver, yet have the lowest recipient rate.

Moreover, Delgado-Vega, discovered that compared to the 29,000 people infected with the HIV virus in this country each year, there are 300,000 people infected with the Hepatitis B virus in that same year. Hepatitis B is much more contagious than HIV.

The L.O.L.A. Foundation encourages donor awareness, provides educational material on liver disease and transplants, and provides support counseling in Spanish to parents and family members.

Delgado-Vega, who was struggling with her life, was at the time on a recipient waiting list for a liver.

Anyone interested in pledging their support can contact the Latino Organization for Liver Awareness at (718) 892-8697.

After introducing her cousin Delgado-Vega to the 850-capacity sell-out audience at the Felton Night Club, India proceeded to give a smash performance. She also gave thanks to Sergio George.

On October 14, 1995, at the Latin Quarter in New York City, India delivered another oustanding performance.

India looked fabulous. She has lost a lot of weight, and her black fitted dress laced in silver didn't miss a curve.

India already has recorded two CDs - her first entitled "Llego La India," and her recent release "Dicen Que Soy." She is currently working on her third project.

India's public have often wondered who is this man, Sergio George, that she is always giving 'thanks' to for believing in her.

Sergio George is the man who helped India launch her career. Many other recording stars, such as Tito Nieves, Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, Japan's Orquesta La Luz among others, owe much of their success to George, who is a genius at composing, arranging and the keyboards. On October 10, 1995, at the Les Poulets Club, George introduced his new recording label. He is now known as Sir George Entertainment and Sony Disco to focus on the urban Latino market.

- Mari Sol Garcia