National Foundation for Transplants

  • Mississippi Grandmother Waiting for Liver Transplant

    October 23, 2009

    NFT patient Cindy Franklin need a liver transplant to survive. Last year, this Mississippi resident was diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, a genetic liver disease. Her brother, David, died from the disease the same year Cindy was diagnosed. Doctors say a liver transplant is her only hope for a second chance at life.

    This mother and grandmother is a survivor and is determined to fight her disease so she can...

  • Cleveland Clinic Sets Lung Transplant Record

    October 21, 2009

    Last week, the Cleveland Clinic set the world record for the number of lung transplants performed in a single year with their 129th lung transplant. The previous record was set in 2007 when the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center performed 128 lung transplants. Cleveland Clinic expects to perform at least a total of 160 lung transplants by the end of the year.

    "It's not about the numbers," Dr. Marie Budev, medical director of the Clinic's Lung Transplantation...

  • Three Rivers: What do you think?

    October 16, 2009

    Have you watched Three Rivers, the new transplant-related medical drama on CBS? If so, what do you think about it? While NFT is thrilled about the show’s efforts to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation, there are certainly some unrealistic aspects. Overall, NFT hopes Three Rivers continues to shed some light on the world of transplantation so more people understand how...

  • October Patient of the Month: Sue Spinosi

    October 12, 2009

    In 2006, Sue was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease due to diabetes, although her doctor suspects she may have gone undiagnosed for more than 12 years. Doctors say a kidney transplant is her only hope for a second chance at life. She is undergoing evaluations at Allegheny General Hospital and will soon be added to the transplant waiting list. Several family members are being tested to see if any are donor matches.

    Despite her health...

    Patient of the Month

  • September Transplants

    October 8, 2009

    We are so happy for our patients who received lifesaving transplants in September! NFT wishes them well in their recovery and will continue to guide them as they raise funds to help with medical expenses.

  • Vote in GQ's Better Men Better World Search!

    October 2, 2009

    Support the National Kidney Foundation and promote the importance of organ donation by voting for John Piano in GQ's Better Men Better World contest!

    John, the president and CEO of Transplant Connect, has...

  • Methodist Institute Reaches Transplant Milestone

    September 30, 2009

    Congratulations to the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute for reaching a milestone in transplantation! The Methodist Transplant Institute, along with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, performed its 1,000th liver transplant Monday, September 28. Only 33 liver transplant programs in the U.S. have reached this milestone, out of a total of 126 liver programs in the country.

    We greatly appreciate the work of the Methodist Transplant Institute and the...

  • Terri McCrae and Her Fight Against Diabetes

    September 29, 2009

    Terri has been battling diabetes since she was just 11 years old. She struggled with the illness for years and even went into a coma...

  • Frequently Asked Questions about NFT

    September 24, 2009

    How does NFT work?
    NFT helps establish fundraising campaigns in patient communities. Our trained fundraising consultants work with each campaign to develop personalized fundraising goals and tailored methods to raise funds. NFT also writes personalized appeal letters and works with the media to raise awareness in the community about the patient's needs.

    Funds raised are placed in a specified NFT state organ/tissue fund, and NFT tracks donations made in honor of specific...

  • Are You a Bone Marrow Donor?

    September 22, 2009

    As this CNN article explains, "For minorities, the wait for a bone marrow match can be long." While there are 7 million registered bone marrow donors on the Be The Match Registry, the percentage of minorities who have registered is very small. In fact, Hispanic donors account for only 9% of the millions registered.

    ...