Waiting for a Second Chance at Life

NFT patient Donna Boudreau is awaiting a lifesaving lung transplant. The video below was made by her friends and family who desperately want to see her well again. To learn more about Donna, visit her web bio on Transplants.org.

Organ Donor Night at AutoZone Park

Cheer on the Memphis Redbirds while supporting the National Foundation for Transplants August 13 at AutoZone Park!

The Redbirds will wear organ-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off during the game to benefit the RBI & STRIPES programs. NFT will register organ donors during the game, which begins at 6:05 p.m. Attendees who register or who are already registered donors will be entered to win a keyboard organ from AMRO music, a team autographed jersey or a heart-healthy basket from U.S. FoodService. Those who register will receive an NFT Transplant Challenge shirt (while supplies last).

A silent auction will take place during the game on the concourse for fans to bid on the organ-themed jerseys. A transplant recipient will throw out the first pitch, and post-game fireworks sponsored by Thomas & Betts will round out the night.

NFT is selling outfield tickets for $11, with $4 going directly to the charity. For tickets, please contact Mandy Stockton at 901-684-1697 or mstockton@transplants.org.​

To learn more about NFT and organ donation, visit www.transplants.org.

NFT Receives Four Star Charity Rating

We are thrilled to announce that NFT has been given a four star rating from Charity Navigator, which means we exceed the standards and outperform most charities in our industry.

At NFT, we strive to go above and beyond for our patients who are facing tremendous transplant-related costs. We are honored to receive this rating, as we aim to meet our own high expectations every day.

Swim: A Memoir of Survival by Bill Coon

In 1989, Bill Coon was born with a congenital heart defect. That year, he received the fourth infant heart transplant in the Midwest and the eighth in the nation. At the age of 20, his transplanted heart began to fail, and due to a lifetime of medications, his kidneys failed as well.

After he was diagnosed with heart and kidney failure, Bill unknowingly began writing his first book on July 5, 2009 when he began journaling his thoughts. These thoughts would later become a story of a young man's physical, mental and spiritual journey as he fought the clock, awaiting a double transplant and another chance at life.

Swim: A Memoir of Survival was written to provide support for individuals who find themselves faced with a life-threatening or life-altering illness. Swim was written so readers would no longer feel alone in their journey. They are given the inspiration of knowing any obstacle can be overcome.

With this idea in mind, Bill developed the Give Back Program, which donates a percentage of book sales to organizations devoted to providing support for patients battling illnesses. By combining efforts, both the organization and BillCoonBooks.com can accomplish their mutually beneficial objective--helping the greater good.

You can purchase a copy of Bill's book and help NFT at the same time! When placing your order, enter the code: NFT in the coupon code field (on the last page before submitting the order) and 20% of the proceeds will benefit NFT.

Man Climbs Mt. Rainier Thanks to Wife's Lifesaving Gift

July is Cord Blood Awareness Month

From the Cord Blood Registry:

Cord Blood Awareness Month is sponsored by a society of the American Hospital Association and strives to empower expectant parents to make an informed choice regarding their options to save their newborn's cord blood stem cells.

Each year more than 35,000 Americans with life threatening illnesses find themselves in need of a stem cell transplant. Cord blood stem cells have been playing an increasing role in filling that need and have been offering potential treatment options for many conditions that have no cure today. Cord blood has been used in more than 14,000 transplants worldwide during the last 20 years to treat many life-threatening diseases, such as leukemia and other cancers. Today, cord blood is showing great promise for use in regenerative medicine applications, including treatment for juvenile diabetes, brain injury, cerebral palsy, and hearing loss.

It is important for expectant parents to be aware of the potential value of cord blood stem cells and their options for saving it. Cord blood can only be collected immediately following birth, so parents should understand their choices and make a decision before their due date.

• Family Banking: Parents have guaranteed access to a child's genetically-unique stem cells for future use within the family, including the child, siblings, parents or extended family members. Click here to learn more.

• Free Program for Acute Family Need: CBR's Designated Treatment Program® provides free processing and storage to qualifying families with a member suffering from a disease treatable with cord blood stem cells. Click here to learn more.

• Public Donation: If eligible, expectant parents can donate cord blood stem cells for public use or research. Click here to learn more about cord blood stem cells for public use.

• Medical Waste: The cord blood stem cells are discarded after delivery at the hospital.

July Patient of the Month: Kristen Adams

When she was 11, Kristen Adams was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a hereditary illness that also afflicted Kristen's mother until she received a kidney transplant in 2006. Kristen was fortunate to have 30 years without the disease greatly affecting her life, but her kidneys began to fail last year. Doctors now say a kidney transplant is critical to her survival.

Thankfully, a living donor has been found, and the surgery is scheduled for July. Kristen's donor, David, works for the same company as Kristen, but in a different state. While visiting her office in Massachusetts, David heard of her need and decided to be tested to see if he was a match. Kristen will be forever grateful for his selfless gift, as it will dramatically improve the quality of her life.

Her health battle is difficult at times, but Kristen strongly believes in the power of positive thinking and is determined to beat PKD. She loves spending as much time as possible with her young son, Blake, and her fiance, whether they're camping, boating or fishing. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, and exercising as often as she can. Because of her declining health, Kristen and her fiance had to postpone their wedding plans; they are anxious to start planning again so they can begin spending the rest of their lives together as husband and wife.

To read more about Kristen or to make a donation in her honor, visit Transplants.org.

June Transplant Birthdays

We are so excited for our patients who received lifesaving transplants last month! Many people don’t realize the long-term financial challenges related to transplantation. At NFT, we’re dedicated to helping patients fundraise so they can focus on their health without worrying about their medical expenses.

• Irma Arroyo (lung) at New York Presbyterian Hospital
  
• Michelle Barnes (kidney) at Hennepin County Medical Center
  
• Tim Dobratz (bone marrow) at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
  
• Dale Shaylor (liver) at Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute
  
• Lucanus Ware (kidney & pancreas) Shands at the University of Florida
  

July is African American Bone Marrow Awareness Month

Actress and singer Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins (of TLC) is lending her famous voice to help others fight life-threatening diseases. Tionne, who was diagnosed with sickle cell disease as a child, is partnering with Be The Match to encourage more African Americans to join the Be The Match Registry as committed members.

Thousands of patients with leukemia, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening diseases need a marrow transplant. Most have no matching donor in their family and turn to the Be The Match Registry to find someone who can give them hope for a cure. While the number of African American patients receiving transplants has doubled since 2004, more committed African Americans are needed to step up so every patient has hope for a cure.

July is African American Bone Marrow Awareness Month. So this month in particular, we’re asking you to step up to save lives.

Learn more and get involved at Be the Match: Step Up!