Archive for transplant
After a marathon year, let’s make organ donation part of our new normal
Six years ago, an organ donor saved my daughter’s life. Cora was born with a congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), which was fatal if not treated. After more than four years living with HLHS — and six open-heart surgeries — Cora’s only chance of survival was a heart transplant. On the ... Read More
Beating the odds with biliary atresia: Sarah’s story
Five-year-old Sarah Sirpenski loves watching TV shows about baking and is eager to try her hand at it herself. She likes to spend time in her family’s kitchen, measuring out imaginary cups of sugar and other ingredients, say her parents, Kate and Dan. One of her doctors even calls her “corn muffin” — although that ... Read More
After a long journey and a father’s gift, surviving Wilms tumor
Eleanor (Nora) Franks was a happy, healthy toddler who loved playing with her twin brother Evan. But soon after she turned 3, she began having problems with her digestion. Eventually, her local hospital found a large mass in her kidney and diagnosed her with Wilms tumor, a rare kidney cancer. “She had to go almost ... Read More
From Virginia to Boston for a kidney transplant: Joshy’s story
Joshy Buchheit is a lot like most 4-year-old boys. He loves playing in the mud, riding his scooter, and keeping up with his three older brothers, Joseph, Ethan, and Evan. But what sets Joshy apart is that he was born with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and had a kidney transplant when he was just 20 ... Read More
Embracing the benefits of virtual visits during the COVID-19 pandemic
Sheltering at home during the coronavirus doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice high-quality health care. Many families are finding that a lot of services they used to travel into Boston for are now available from the comfort of home using our expanded telehealth capacity. This is allowing parents and kids to manage chronic conditions, or ... Read More
Lessons learned performing telehealth visits during COVID-19
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, one positive development is that many health care providers are finding new ways to use technology to provide patients with care in the comfort and safety of their own homes, from diagnosing hernias and fractures to managing post-operative care to supporting transgender patients. Expanding our telehealth capacity With ... Read More
Looking for clues to improve the life of a transplanted organ
The Transplant Research Program (TxRP) at Boston Children’s Hospital is the only pediatric transplantation research program in the U.S committed to better understanding the molecular basis for organ rejection after transplantation in children. Within the last year, members of the TxRP have initiated a new initiative to extend the longevity of transplanted organs and to ... Read More
New clinical trial hopes to improve long-term outcomes for heart transplant patients
If your child or teenager has had a heart transplant in the last six months, they may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial developed to test a new anti-rejection therapy. In the process, they can play an important part in building a base of evidence that will help advance care for future generations. ... Read More
The Transplant Center’s Family Celebration Day 2019 is filled with inspiration
High school prom. College graduation. Wedding. Honeymoon. Job. These are just some of the plot points from Erin Geraghty’s life. While to her they just feel like ‘normal’ accomplishments, to other transplant families her ability to live such a “typical” life gives them hope for their own happy ending. Erin received a heart transplant at Boston ... Read More
Staff Spotlight: Transplant surgeon Dr. Alex Cuenca wears many hats
As one of three pediatric transplant surgeons in the liver, kidney, and intestine and multivisceral programs at Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Alex Cuenca brings a unique set of experience and skills to his job. We recently sat down and spoke with him about how all of his responsibilities and interests come together to support transplant ... Read More