More than 100,000 people in the US are waiting for a lifesaving transplant. One person is added to the national waiting list every nine minutes. Despite the need, there remain a lot of misconceptions about the process of donating organs. We turned to Cinda Courtney, an abdominal transplant nurse manager, to debunk some myths about …
When I received my liver transplant in 2004, I knew that in order to protect this incredible gift of life, I would stay on anti-rejection medication for the rest of my life. “Sure thing,” I thought. “I will do everything possible to keep this liver healthy and happy so I can spend as much time …
Can transplant recipients be “weaned” off anti-rejection drugs? Read More »
When Jose Suarez moved to Dallas in the mid-80’s, he worked as a high-rise window washer. He remembers washing the windows at Baylor University Medical Center, part of Baylor Scott & White Health, and wondering what it was like inside the big Dallas hospital. This summer, Jose got a firsthand look at what happens behind …
Becoming a living organ donor for a friend or relative is an unparalleled act of kindness. And donors who decide to give the gift of life to a perfect stranger? They fall into an entirely different category. Katie and Chris Morrow are a remarkable couple with a deep resolve to help others and now a …
A dynamic donor duo: Husband and wife both donate kidneys to strangers Read More »
Chronic pancreatitis can lead to debilitating, life-limiting pain. That pain routinely stopped David Wright in his tracks. “I would literally double over and couldn’t move,” he said. Medication would sometimes reduce the attacks. Pain blocks administered by an advanced endoscopist at Baylor University Medical Center worked for a while, too. But the chronic pancreatitis pain …
After years of chronic pain, islet autotransplantation changed this man’s life Read More »
13-year-old Randy Lopez is no stranger to pain. Ever since he was a toddler, Randy has battled the pain of a genetic disease called chronic pancreatitis — until now. Thanks to a total pancreatectomy with islet cell transplantation, Randy is looking forward to life without pain. Searching for answers to chronic pain For years, Randy’s …
Islet cell transplant frees teen from life of chronic pain Read More »
As a successful practicing attorney, father of two young children and supportive husband, Joel Elliott is quite accustomed to the on-the-go lifestyle. So much so that his wife Cristy explains, “He is the gas, I am the brake.” With 18 years of marriage down and many more to go, the couple did not let the …
A gift of love: Wife saves husband’s life through organ donation Read More »
For Eric Daniell, everything has come full circle. He spent more than a decade ministering to others as a hospital chaplain. At the Dallas VA Medical Center, he found his calling lending a hand to veterans returning from the battlefield. And in his own time of need after a lifesaving heart transplant, it was a …
Martial arts helps chaplain thrive after heart transplant Read More »
Usually it’s the son who looks up to his dad as his hero but for me, my son is my hero. His selfless decision to donate his liver saved my life. I was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver in September 2018. While I had been showing symptoms for a while prior, I was still …
I followed the doctor into the hallway. I didn’t want my dad to hear the answer I was afraid of, “No…sorry…Mr. Horner is not a candidate for a transplant.” Let me back up. We forced Dad to come to the ER more than three weeks ago, convinced he was in heart failure. He has a …
Why I lost nearly 50 lbs to donate my kidney and save my father’s life Read More »