Kidney Transplant Conversations ~ Patient, Donor & Caregiver Edition

In part 2 of our discussions with Liz, Grace & Shelley, we invite our guests to reflect on six specific questions about their experiences of giving and receiving, and the world of kidney donation. 

   1. One thing that has been most wonderful about this experience     2. One thing that has been most surprising    3. One thing that has been really difficult    4. One way that you have changed personally because of this experienc...

S2 E5. Giving thanks for kindness, science and cooperation during Thanksgiving week. A kidney paired donation story. Liz, Grace & Shelley - Part 1   

What if you saw a billboard asking for a volunteer to donate a kidney and “share your spare” to save someone’s life? What if it just made immediate sense to you, and you found yourself saying yes? Meanwhile, Liz was in urgent need of a kidney transplant. She had been unwell as a c...

Welcome to the latest episode of Kidney Transplant Conversations, where we continue our exploration of the Transplant Games of America in San Diego. This inspiring event, bringing together organ donors, recipients, and their families, marks a joyful reunion after the challenges posed by the pandemic. The San Diego games also celebrates it's uniquely diverse local population, including contributions from indigenous and latino artist...

With members of Team North Carolina as our guide, we delve into the vibrant world of the Transplant Games of America. Discover the rich history of these games, which began in 1978 in England and have since evolved into a significant event for transplant recipients and donor families in the U.S. Hosted by the Transplant Games of America, this bi-annual event brings together thousands of participants, fostering a sense of community a...

In this compelling episode of Kidney Transplant Conversations, Valen Keefer joins us to share her extraordinary journey through the world of organ transplantation. From a young age, Valen faced the challenges of living with a chronic illness, navigating the complexities of kidney and liver transplants. Her story is one of resilience, advocacy, and empowerment.

Valen discusses her impactful docuseries, "Letters of Hope," which chron...

In this heartwarming episode of "Kidney Transplant Conversations," host Rolf Taylor sits down with Shana Pereira, a remarkable woman who received both a kidney and heart transplant on Christmas Day. Shana shares her extraordinary journey, beginning with the discovery of her kidney failure on a previous Christmas Eve, and the numerous challenges she faced along the way to receiving her transplants.

Despite the odds stacked against h...

Mike was just seven years old when he lost his father to kidney disease, and many years later he learned that he was at an advanced stage of the inherited condition called polycystic kidney disease (PKD), and his kidneys were slowly failing. 2019 was a very challenging year and Mike experienced multiple medical issues. He knew he needed a transplant, and that the waitlist was long and with no guarantees. 

Mike started researching h...

In the previous episode we heard Darryl’s story, how he needed a kidney transplant because of kidney cancer. This week we meet Jim, who responded to “The Big Ask,” and donated a kidney to his close friend Darryl. Jim shares with us his side of the story, explaining why doing this for his “brother” was so important to him, and he describes his overall experience of making “The Big Give.”

And Dr. Adam Bregman joins us to talk about h...

In our last episode, the first of several episodes celebrating National Donate Life Month, we sat down with Jennifer Martin from the National Kidney Foundation and learned about “The Big Ask, The Big Give”, a program dedicated to helping people with chronic kidney disease find their living kidney donor.

In this episode we meet military veteran Darryl Shaw, a kidney cancer surv...

Every year, April is National Donate Life Month. This is an annual time for increasing awareness of the importance of registering as an organ donor or saving a life by being a living donor. And for kidney transplants, living donation offers the best possible outcomes for recipients.  

But asking someone to give a kidney can be daunting, and the process can be a challenge...

Our first guest on this episode is counseling psychologist Dr. Camilla Nonterah, who discusses the importance of understanding and supporting transplant patients from both biological and psychosocial perspectives. She also reflects on the impact COVID is having on the mental health of transplant patients. During this episode we also hear from Barbara, John and Ed from the Florida Organ Transplant Asso...

20 years ago, a young Benji Lafitte had his promising basketball career cut short by kidney failure, and he would go on to depend on dialysis for the next two decades. After almost giving up on the transplant process, an old basketball rival persuaded Benji to engage again with a transplant center.

Benji joins us on this episode of Kidney Transplant Conversations to shar...

We talk with kidney transplant surgeon Dr. Robert Montgomery about his own experience of receiving a heart transplant three years ago. This led him to a new understanding of the challenging “new normal” for patients after a transplant, which involves multiple medications and many new responsibilities. We also discuss the evolving impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on an estimated 10 million peop...

We are joined by history maker Dr. Velma Scantlebury, who became the first Black female transplant surgeon in the US in 1989. In a wide-ranging discussion we ask whether all the current talk about health equity is resulting in real action, and we explore several current examples of intentional change. Firstly, the “Boldly Against Racism” Campaign at the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS); ...

Not everyone lives close to a hospital. In this podcast we discuss two potential challenges in managing chronic kidney disease and kidney transplants: the first is care when you live a long distance from specialist care, and the second is potential financial barriers. Our guest in this episode, Dr. Silas Prescod Norman, tells us about some very real ways that his hospital center has worked proactively...

In this episode we meet Dr. Joyce Trompeta, A Nurse Practitioner (NP) specializing in transplantation, and an Associate Professor in the school of medicine, at the University of California, San Francisco where she conducts outcome research in the department of surgery.

Dr. Trompeta discusses several areas of interest, including her concerns about disparities impacting Asian Am...

How the UNC Chapel Hill Latino Transplant Clinic is increasing access through culturally competent care. UNC Chapel Hill Latino Transplant Clinic, Part 2

Featuring Transplant Social Worker Daniela Matz and clinic founder Dr. Pablo Serrano.

In our last episode we met José and Xiomara Flores and heard about their five-year journey from kidney disease...

In this episode we’ll hear from José a patient, and Xiomara, his wife and donor, as they describe the challenges they experienced in their quest for a kidney transplant, and the joy they have felt since then. We’ll also hear from transplant social worker Daniela Matz, who assisted them. 

The Census Bureau estimates that there are over 60 million Hispanics and Latinos liv...

Episode 1: Impact of Pandemic, & Meeting People Where They Are 

Welcome to Kidney Transplant Conversations. The COVID-19 pandemic has everyone asking a lot of questions, especially transplant recipients, and those waiting for a transplant. In this episode we discuss the impact of the pandemic, talk about masks and vaccines, and how the pandemic is impacting people wi...