A 54-year-old New Jersey woman has received both a gene-edited pig kidney transplant and a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The patient had both heart failure and end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis. Due to having several chronic medical conditions, she was not considered a candidate for a heart and kidney transplant from a human donor.Continue reading “First-ever Kidney Xenotransplant with LVAD”
Category Archives: Transplant
Donate Life Month and Radio Interview
Listen Live to My Transplant Story April is Donate Life month and I have been remiss in not posting about it sooner. It has been a busy month at my house. I had my mid-year visit at the transplant clinic, we visited my father in Tennessee for a little while, then we got home, andContinue reading “Donate Life Month and Radio Interview”
Gender and Ethnic Disparity in Heart Transplants and Upcoming Changes in Organ Allocation
According to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), some transplant teams showed patterns of denying donor hearts to certain patients when offers became available. The probability of a donor heart being accepted by these transplant centers was more likely for white women, followed by Black women, white men, then Black men, accordingContinue reading “Gender and Ethnic Disparity in Heart Transplants and Upcoming Changes in Organ Allocation”
New Xenotransplantation Milestone for Kidneys
March is National Kidney Month, and surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital, known as Mass General, have transplanted a kidney from a genetically engineered pig into a 62-year-old man. The new kidney began producing urine shortly after the surgery last week, and the patient’s condition has improved significantly. Doctors expect the patient to be discharged soon.Continue reading “New Xenotransplantation Milestone for Kidneys”
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day
February 28, 2024 is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day. As part of the effort to increase awareness, I wrote the following third person account of my experience with diagnosis and treatment to be shared with the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association. To learn more about HCM, please visit their website at 4HCM.org Dawn’s Heart Story Dawn grew upContinue reading “Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day”
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Day is February 28
More than one million people in the U.S. today have a genetically inherited heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which is a thickening of the heart muscle that may cause no symptoms for years – but can lead to sudden cardiac arrest at any moment. The prevalence of HCM in the population of Michigan couldContinue reading “Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Day is February 28”
Why January 6 Is Important to Me
Today’s date is more than a mere page on the calendar to me. It is a milestone. Today is the eighteenth anniversary of my first heart transplant. January 6, 2006. This time of year is always fraught with emotion for me, and a perpetual cloud hangs over the holidays no matter how hard I tryContinue reading “Why January 6 Is Important to Me”
Happy Birthday to me!
Today is my birthday, and although I can’t shoot fireworks out of my personal spacecraft like the Grandmaster in Thor: Ragnorok, I can still celebrate. My husband Jay and I started our celebration this morning by going out to breakfast, then we cruised over to the local mall for some holiday shopping. Jay spoiled meContinue reading “Happy Birthday to me!”
Ten Financial Assistance Programs for Transplant Medications and Medical Costs
There are many programs designed to assist transplant recipients with the high cost of transplant related medications. Aside from the programs for Medicare recipients (see previous post) there are several programs administered by non-profit organizations and private groups. The American Transplant Foundation offers grants for recipients in need. This program provides support to solid organContinue reading “Ten Financial Assistance Programs for Transplant Medications and Medical Costs”
Medicare Assistance Programs
There are several programs available to assist individuals on Medicare. Most of these programs are income-based to assist low-income seniors and disabled Medicare recipients. The Extra Help Program The Extra Help program, also known as the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program, is a Medicare program designed to help people with limited income and resourcesContinue reading “Medicare Assistance Programs”
Dawn Levitt, Author 