More than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for an organ transplant, and about 13 people die each day waiting.

With the help of the Vanderbilt Transplant Center and other centers, Ukraine has developed a growing transplant program in the country in the last five years.

The patient, Theresa Stratman of Louisville, Kentucky, is now able to get to her continuing medical appointments and live without medical oxygen.

With living donor liver transplants, surgery is scheduled in advance. The recipient can get a liver before becoming too sick, often within weeks if they have a compatible living donor.

This marks a second record-shattering year for solid organ transplants for Vanderbilt Health, surpassing last year’s previous record with an additional 109 lives saved. 

The method, rapid recovery with extended ultra-oxygenated preservation, involves flushing the donor heart with a cold oxygenated preservation solution after death.

A portion of the funds will go to raise awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation and fund statewide education and outreach for organ donation.