Thursday, November 29, 2007

Transplant Headlines

Selected headlines

FIRST-IN-MARYLAND COMBINED HEART AND LIVER TRANSPLANTS PERFORMED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER
Maryland Man Has New Chance at Life after Two Simultaneous Transplants
Press Release - University of Maryland Medical Center - Transplant surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore are the first in Maryland to perform a combined heart and liver transplant. The two organs were transplanted in a 33-year-old man from Oxon Hill, Md., during a ten-and-a-half hour procedure on October 15, 2007. A total of 15 people in two transplant teams participated in this rare combination transplant. Data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network indicate that only 53 of these heart-liver transplants have been performed in the United States since 1992.

The patient, Trevanoyn Shelton, went home from the medical center about two weeks after the surgery and is recovering well. Prior to the lifesaving transplants, he was unable to walk even a short distance without losing his breath. He had waited on the transplant list for about two months before suitable organs became available. Today, he says he feels healthier than he has in years. Read the complete release.

Slain teen's memorial to urge organ donation
Mom says birthday celebration will emphasize life-saving legacy
From the Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle.
(November 29, 2007) — GATES — Even when Joan Patterson knew that her 16-year-old son would not survive a gunshot wound to the head, she thought of others.

After Shamar Patterson's death in April, one person received his left kidney, another his liver and esophagus, another his heart, another his right kidney and pancreas. His corneas also were donated.

His family wants to celebrate his 17th birthday at noon Saturday with a memorial at Grove Place Cemetery that addresses the need for organ donors.

"His life saved the lives of so many others," said Joan Patterson. "Shamar died a senseless death, but I wanted to celebrate his birthday and legacy by addressing being a donor because so many minority families just don't think about it. And if they see the face of someone who is the same ethnicity as them donating, maybe it will spark a family to do the same. Read the full story.

New lungs give hope to teen
Organ donor awareness is key to saving lives
Amarillo.com in Texas posts a story about Ashley Driver of Amarillo who received a double-lung transplant just two days after her 16th birthday. Ashley has Cystic Fibrosis and now two years later she is doing extremely well. The story goes on to list more information about organ donation and also gives the statistics for Texas. Read the full article.


“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Sign Your Donor Card & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”

Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network

Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov

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