The program performed 149 lung transplants in 2025, the most ever in one year at Vanderbilt Health, and is now the second largest lung transplant center in the U.S.

Williams helped lead the team that developed a method to preserve donor hearts for up to 12 hours — triple the typical four-hour window.

Vanderbilt Health's fourth lung transplant patient is thought to be the world's record holder for longevity following a single lung transplant.

Through dramatic growth, the VTC is now the largest transplant center in the country by volume, according to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing.

As in prior years, the success of Vanderbilt Health’s transplant program is a testament to the greatness of individuals and innovations alike and to the tremendous power of teamwork.

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.