Friday, October 30, 2009

How Your Gift to NFT Can Help

Consider the impact your gift can have when you make a contribution to NFT. More than 104,000 people are awaiting lifesaving transplants. Your gift can help!

What your gift can do:
$35 can provide nutritional supplements for a patient
$50 can pay for one prescription co-pay
$85 can provide one night’s housing when a patient must seek medical care away from home
$100 can pay for oxygen for a lung transplant patient on the waiting list
$500 can cover one anti-rejection medication co-pay following transplant
$700 can pay for a patient’s insurance premium for one month
$1,500 can pay for an ultrasound co-pay for a bone marrow transplant patient

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Baby Hannah Loses Hearing Because of Post-Transplant Meds


Hannah Bhagwandeen, a patient we first told you about in June, now faces a new challenge. Hannah, who will turn 2 in December, has already undergone two liver transplants. In order for the transplanted liver to remain active and healthy, Hannah must take anti-rejection medications daily. Sadly, these medications have caused young Hannah to lose hearing in both ears.

Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Hannah suffered from biliary atresia, a very rare liver condition affecting one in 20,000 children. The Bhagwandeen family was forced to move to the U.S. on a medical visa because doctors in their native country did not have the capabilities to treat her condition. Doctors believe a cochlear implant, a surgically implanted electronic device, will allow Hannah to regain hearing in both ears. The Bhagwandeen family knows this surgery is necessary, but they do not have the funds to pay for it, nor do they have volunteers to help with a fundraising campaign.

The average cost for the entire procedure, including the post-operative aural rehabilitation process, exceeds $140,000. While some organizations offer services to assist with these expenses, Hannah is ineligible for assistance because she is not a U.S. citizen. Hannah’s family is also facing significant expenses related to her transplants. A liver transplant costs approximately $520,000. For the rest of her life, Hannah will need follow-up care and vital anti-rejection medications, which can cost $2,000 to $5,000 per month. As of June, the Bhagwandeens owed $1 million for physicians’ fees, hospital costs, medications, labs, follow-up care, her feeding pump and more.

To make a donation to NFT to help Hannah’s family with these soaring medical expenses, click here.

Do you live in the Baltimore area and want to help Hannah’s family? To become a volunteer, please call Lauren Wilmer at NFT at 1-800-489-3863.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Mississippi Grandmother Waiting for Liver Transplant

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 spend many more years with her family. Cindy hopes to have her health restored so she can return to the activities she enjoys, like working with the children's ministry at church and singing in a gospel group. She looks forward to the lifesaving transplant that will allow her to spend more time with her family and watch her three young grandchildren grow up.

To learn more about Cindy’s battle against Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, read this article from her hometown newspaper, The Clinton News.

To make a donation to NFT in honor of Cindy Franklin, click here.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cleveland Clinic Sets Lung Transplant Record

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 Program, said by phone Thursday afternoon. "It's about the patients. And we're learning more and more about what you can do for these patients. We're learning that these patients that were deemed high risk can actually do very well."

To read the full article about this significant accomplishment in transplantation, click here.

To become an organ donor to help the more than 104,000 people waiting on a lifesaving transplant, accept the Transplant Challenge!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Three Rivers: What do you think?

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 challenging, expensive and scary it can be. The producers of Three Rivers work with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to verify facts and statistics, which means that information should be current and accurate for all the viewers at home.

Let’s discuss some questions we’ve heard from Three Rivers viewers:

Does everyone get a new organ so quickly?

The short answer is no. The doctors on Three Rivers only have a one-hour time span in which they can transplant their patients, but that’s not true in the real world. The reality is that even though some patients are fortunate enough to be transplanted quickly, many patients wait for months—even years—before receiving a lifesaving organ.

How many people are waiting on a transplant in the U.S.?
Currently, more than 104,000 people are awaiting lifesaving transplants, and a new name is added to the list every 11 minutes. Sadly, there is a national shortage of organ donors, and 18 people die each day because there aren’t enough donors. Last year, only about 25% of the patients waiting received a transplant.

To become an organ donor, take the NFT Transplant Challenge!

Will insurance pay for everyone who needs a transplant?
Not necessarily. Even if someone has “good” insurance that covers transplant surgery, they may not be prepared for the enormous costs related to post-transplant medications and follow-up care, which will continue for the rest of their lives. Post-transplant medications can cost as much as $5,000 per month and can lead to a lifetime of financial worry. NFT encourages all transplant patients to strongly consider fundraising to help with their transplant-related medical expenses.

For more information about organ donation and transplantation costs, visit NFT's FAQ page.

Monday, October 12, 2009

October Patient of the Month: Sue Spinosi

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 problems, Sue is optimistic about the future. She looks forward to receiving her lifesaving transplant so she can spend more time with her family and have more energy to play with her young grandchildren. But she needs your help.

Sue’s family has been incredibly supportive during this difficult time. In fact, her father will be running in two marathons within three weeks in her honor! Sue’s father, Jim, has been an avid runner and triathlete since 1990. Jim didn’t let a heart attack or coronary artery bypass surgery stop him from running, and now he wants to help his daughter overcome her own health battle! As the co-chair of a fundraising committee, “Running 2 For Sue,” Jim hopes to raise awareness and funds for Sue with his upcoming races.

To read more about Sue or to make a donation to NFT in her honor, please visit her Web bio on the NFT Web site.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

September Transplants

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.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Vote in GQ's Better Men Better World Search!

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 dedicated the last six years of his life to save and improve lives through organ, tissue and eye transplantation. He’s not a surgeon or healthcare administrator or politician. Instead, he’s a creative entrepreneur who has built modernized electronic medical records software for the transplant field.

GQ will honor the winner, chosen by voters like YOU, with $10,000 to donate to his favorite charity. John plans to donate his prize to the National Kidney Foundation. Please vote for John to help spread the word about the critical need for organ donors in the United States while supporting the National Kidney Foundation.

To vote, click here: GQ Better Men Better World. Accept the Transplant Challenge to become an organ donor today!