Vanderbilt Transplant Center Archive

Vanderbilt Transplant Center members recently held a reception celebrating the 6,000th kidney transplant since the program’s inception.
October 30, 2019

VUMC reaches milestone 6,000th kidney transplant

The Vanderbilt Transplant Center recently celebrated its 6,000th kidney transplant.

By Matt Batcheldor
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.

By Matt Batcheldor
September 17, 2019

Upperman to succeed Brock as Surgeon-in-Chief of Children’s Hospital

After successfully serving as Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s first Surgeon-in-Chief for 17 years, John W. Brock III, MD, will transition to focus on his role as Senior Vice President of Pediatric Surgical Services and will become Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus. Brock will be succeeded as Surgeon-in-Chief by Jeffrey Upperman, MD.

By Christina Echegaray
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.

By Matt Batcheldor
August 1, 2019

VUMC performs its first transplant using rehabilitated lungs

For the first time at Vanderbilt, doctors have performed a transplantation with donated lungs that were rehabilitated using a procedure called ex vivo lung perfusion.

By Matt Batcheldor
April 25, 2019

Kristie Kuzy decided to donate a kidney to a stranger. Her generosity initiated the first three-recipient kidney transplant chain in the history of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The amazing and improbable story of how it all fell into place

By Matt Batcheldor
April 25, 2019

Flag-raising ceremony honors gift of organ donation

Eighty individuals donated the gift of their organs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center last year, more than any other hospital in the nation, and they and their families were saluted on April 16 at the 10th annual Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony.
By Matt Batcheldor
April 23, 2019

Transplant centers, patients unite to stop new organ sharing policy that threatens longer waits for a liver

Vanderbilt University Medical Center and 13 other highly regarded liver transplant centers have filed a lawsuit aimed at stopping Federal policy changes that are slated to take effect Tuesday, April 30, that will affect thousands of patients across the Southeast and Midwest waiting for donor livers.
By John Howser
March 28, 2019

First artificial heart patient gets permanent replacement

Tim Lowell of Hernando, Mississippi, received the first total artificial heart in the state of Tennessee when the cardiac surgery team at Vanderbilt Health placed the device in his chest on Sept. 26, 2018. The mechanical heart kept him alive for nearly three months until a matching human donor heart became available and he was transplanted on Dec. 16, 2018, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
By Matt Batcheldor
March 14, 2019

Medical Center employees celebrated at festive event

There were inspirational songs from the United Voices of Vanderbilt Choir, a rollicking rock band, a roll call of achievements and heartfelt stories shared by grateful patients and their families during Celebrate the Difference WE Make Every Day! 2019, an appreciation event to honor all Vanderbilt University Medical Center employees.
By Jill Clendening
March 1, 2019

Kevin Hartley was an organ donor, and his mother had one wish: to hear her son’s heartbeat one more time

Thanks to his heart recipient, Rhonda Lucas, she got the chance.
By Holly Fletcher
February 18, 2019

As a paramedic, Kyle Fisher saved many lives. As an organ donor, he saved six more.

Vanderbilt staff pays tribute to his heroism with Honor Walk
By Matt Batcheldor
February 14, 2019

Celebrating a transplant milestone

Past and present members of the Vanderbilt Transplant Center, guests and patients attended a celebration of VUMC’s 500th lung transplant at the Student Life Center Feb. 5.
By VUMC News and Communications