Groundbreaking Efforts in Hand Transplantation

Several NFT staff and board members recently had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Linda Cendales, who is leading groundbreaking efforts in the area of hand transplantation. She has quite an impressive resumé and is overseeing the program at Emory Transplant Center in Atlanta. Dr. Cendales is the only surgeon in the United States with formal training in all three areas of hand, microsurgery and transplant surgery. She established a comprehensive program at Emory to study Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA), which is the transplantation of multiple tissues (skin, muscle, bone, cartilage, nerve, tendon and vessels) as a functional unit.

Hand transplants are currently under investigation and are often categorized as cosmetic surgery by insurance companies, so many patients do not have coverage for the expenses. Dr. Cendales sees the critical need for patients to regain mobility and motor skills, and she is dedicated to helping these patients.

NFT is committed to helping ALL transplant candidates and recipients raise funds to help with their expenses. As advances in the medical field continue to develop, we expect to see more patients in need of our services.

Family Hitting the Road to Promote Organ Donation

After receiving a lifesaving kidney/pancreas transplant in 2003, Mike Greiner and his family are forever grateful for the generosity of Annie, the selfless woman who registered to be an organ donor and saved Mike’s life. Because of Annie’s gift, Mike’s children still have a father to laugh and play with. The Greiner family wants everyone in the United States to understand the incredible need for organ donation, and they have a plan to reach that goal!

The family of four—Mike, his wife, Sheri, and their children Levi (12) and Chloe (9)—are taking a year-long journey across the country to raise awareness about organ donation. They’ve been planning the trip for quite some time, and even began homeschooling their children a few years ago in preparation for being away from a traditional school for so long.

Sheri tells momlogic.com, “We discovered that not only are we extremely blessed, but we're not guaranteed a tomorrow, and we need to pursue our dreams today. I have always wanted to experience this great country with my family, and we knew that our trip could help people who are waiting for transplants.”

To read the full interview with Sheri Greiner, visit momlogic.com.

Transplant Milestone: Liver Recipient No Longer Needs Prograf

Eric Lindquester took daily anti-rejection medications for 14 years. But thanks to a study at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, those days are over.

Born with biliary atresia, a rare and life-threatening liver disease, Eric received a liver transplant in 1990. He was only 5 months old. Today, Eric is an honor student and Eagle Scout, in his freshman year of college.

Eric was one of the first patients to take the drug now known as Prograf, commonly prescribed as an immunosuppressant for transplant recipients. When he learned about the trial study at Children’s Hospital, he jumped at the chance to wean himself off his anti-rejection medications. The weaning process took two years, but Eric has been Prograf-free for five years – and he’s doing great!

Memphis Restaurants to Dish It Out for NFT!

On Thursday, April 8, ten Memphis-area restaurants will Dish It Out for NFT by donating a percentage of their profits to help us assist patients throughout their transplant journeys.

Planning a girls night out? What about a birthday dinner or book club meeting? You can support NFT by eating at one of these restaurants, and please spread the word to your friends and family!

Participating restaurants include:

• Amerigo**


• Circa*


• Corky's** (East Memphis Poplar Ave. location)


• Equestria*


• Grill 83**


• Interim (lunch only)


• McAlister's* (Collierville and Southaven locations, 5-9 p.m.)


• Pa Pa Pia's** (Southaven and downtown locations)


• Restaurant Iris*


• Spindini*
  

*dinner only
**lunch and dinner

Sponsored by:

Heart Transplant Recipient Runs 5K

On July 5, 2009, Nate Gunderson received a second chance at life thanks to a selfless woman who decided to become an organ donor. On March 13, 2010, Nate ran his first race since receiving his new heart in honor of his generous organ donor.

We are so proud of Nate!

Coming Soon: The NFT $10,000 Challenge!

Are you having trouble deciding how to kick-off your fundraising campaign? Do you need to raise more funds, but don't know how to get the momentum back? Our $10,000 Challenge might be exactly what you need!

In each month’s issue of Creative Campaigns, we will outline event suggestions for the upcoming months. By following our suggested event guide, you could reach a goal of $10,000 by the end of 2010! Just follow our simple steps to keep the momentum and excitement going throughout the year.

Our full event guide will soon be available on the Campaign Log-In section of the NFT Web site. E-mail your personal fundraising consultant by April 1 to participate in the $10,000 challenge. Please list the names and e-mails of your volunteers.

Not sure who to contact? E-mail us at info@transplants.org, and we'll point you in the right direction!

When you achieve your $10,000 goal:

• NFT will provide special appreciation certificates for volunteers and business sponsors.
• NFT's president or vice president will make a thank you call to you and your key volunteers.
• NFT's development director will personally call your top three business sponsors to thank them for their support.
• NFT will list the your name and key volunteers in the Spring 2011 newsletter, Creative Campaigns, NFT Facebook page and on our blog.
• NFT will send special recognition to the campaign chairman and volunteers.

March Patient of the Month: Ed Cheeseboro

In 1996, Ed learned his kidneys were not properly filtering blood, and he was diagnosed with the early stages of chronic kidney disease. Last year, tests revealed his kidneys were failing and only functioning at 4 percent. Since last year's diagnosis, he has been enduring regular dialysis treatments. Doctors have told Ed a kidney transplant is critical to his survival.

Thankfully, his wife, Lois, will donate one of her kidneys to save her husband's life. Ed and Lois met in Germany in 1985 when they were both serving in the U.S. Army. Together they are raising their four children and spending as much quality time with them as they can.

Despite his struggles, Ed relies on his strong faith and the unwavering support of his family to keep a positive attitude. He looks forward to the lifesaving transplant that will allow him to resume the activities he once loved, such as riding bikes, taking walks and helping other parents maintain the course at the ski club where his children train in ski jumping.

A kidney transplant costs approximately $250,000. And that's only the beginning. Ed faces significant medical expenses related to his transplant. For the rest of his life, he will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. The cost of post-transplant medications can range from $2,000 to $5,000 per month--and they are as critical to his survival as the transplant itself.

To make a donation to NFT in honor of Ed, visit his Web bio on the NFT Web site.

NFT Patients Who Received Transplants in February

We are so excited for the following patients who received their lifesaving transplants last month!

• Holly Bergo (lung) at Mayo Clinic in Rochester
• Dan Chesmore (kidney) at University of Wisconsin Hospital
• David Lewis (heart) at University of Utah Transplant Center
• Mike Montgomery (liver) at Tulane Medical Center
• Ricardo Santiago (heart) at Tufts Medical Center
• Jim Spitzer (liver) at Florida Hospital
• Donald Wallace (liver) at Duke University Medical Center
• Shirley Washington (lung) at Cleveland Clinic
• Tom Wirt (kidney) at Mayo Clinic in Rochester
  

Donate to NFT Via Twitter!

Twitter has created “Twonate,” a new platform for its users to contribute to their favorite charities. Donating to NFT is easy!

Simply enter your donation amount in our Twitter box on the right-hand side of the blog, or sign on to your Twitter account and tweet, “@twonate give $5 NFT here is my donation to help this charity.”

Kudos to Twitter for providing an easy way for people to support their favorite charities!

Visit Twonate's FAQ page to learn more. To find NFT on Twitter, click here!