nephrology Archive — Page 1 of 2

White daisy with a yellow center against a green rectangular background.
October 20, 2023

“I truly feel she helped save my husband’s life,” and other DAISY Award-winning examples of extraordinary nurses

DAISY Awards are given to great nurses all over the United States and in many other countries. Here are VUMC’s latest winners.

Annette Goad stands with her arms crossed in a medical clinic hallway, wearing a white coat over a dark collared shirt.
December 3, 2021

Annette Goad follows the ‘golden rule’ of patient care – care for patients the way she would want to be cared for.

“I have to set that bar high because that’s the way I want other providers to treat my family, friends and co-workers who I love dearly. It’s just the right thing to do.”

Masked woman holding a woven basket filled with colorful cloth face masks outside a building.
May 11, 2020

Grateful kidney transplant patient donates masks to VUMC

“I was really excited to have the opportunity to do something for those who had done so much for me.”

Kristen Lowrance and her father pose outdoors, both wearing buttons that read “share your spare.”
September 30, 2019

Her dad needed a kidney; hers didn’t match. But through paired donation, her dad got a kidney and so did another person in need.

Her blood type was B and his was A. So they went to Plan B.

Two women stand beneath a sign reading “Vanderbilt Transplant & Surgical Unit.”
August 21, 2019

Stephanie Hays’ own body destroyed her kidneys. Luckily, her daughter had a spare.

The operation was a success; Roni’s kidney began functioning in her mom right away. “Now she’s stuck with me forever,” Roni joked.

A researcher holds a small transparent implantable artificial kidney device in a laboratory, with computer screens displaying technical graphics in the background.
February 12, 2016

VU Inside: Dr. William Fissell’s Artificial Kidney

Vanderbilt University Medical Center nephrologist and Associate Professor of Medicine Dr. William Fissell IV is making major progress on a first-of-its kind device to free kidney patients from dialysis. He is building an artificial implantable kidney with microchip filters and living kidney cells that will be powered by a patient’s own heart.