Transplant News and Events

One event that might be of interest to our live donors on this site is the upcoming Living Donor Meeting to Attempt Guinness World Record. This is a meeting organized by a some living donors who wish to get together the largest group of living donors ever gathered in one place! You can find out more information about their event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/living-donors-meeting-to-attempt-guinness-world-record-tickets-41312598093. If you plan to be in Chicago on April 21 and you are a living donor, this might be a perfect opportunity for you!
-Kristin

Thank you for starting this discussion! I am very excited to share an event of interest to the transplant community in Arizona. The athletes of Transplant Team Arizona will be signing the official flag of the DonateLife Transplant Games of America. The flag tours the ENTIRE country to signatures from organ and tissue recipients, living donors and donor families members. Then the flag is flown at the opening ceremonies. If you are in Arizona, please join us for the unique celebration of organ donation! Saturday at noon at Encanto Sports Complex at 2121 N 15th Ave and then on Sunday at noon at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park on River Road in Tucson. If you haven't been to that park, there is a beautiful memorial garden, which features a fountain canopied by a large metal butterfly, a hand-made “Tree of Life” paying tribute to southern Arizona organ donors and clay butterflies glazed by Brandi’s friends and imbedded in the concrete walkways throughout.

We are excited to have expert Nicole Christofferson PharmD, manager of the Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy, at the education meeting on March 22, 2018.   She will be answering all of your questions about transplant medications and the importance of adherence to therapies.

Mrs. Christofferson has 14 years of pharmacy experience in transplant medications and is now managing the specialty pharmacy in Mesa.  Walgreens offers specialized care with a range of medications, therapies and services to make managing transplants easier.

The meeting will be on March 22, 2018 at 5:00pm at 24th Street Conference Center, 1841 N 24th Street in Phoenix, AZ. All are welcome!

May is Mental Health Awareness month! How are you feeling on your transplant journey? So are many other recipients and caregivers are experiencing those intense feelings; you are not alone.
At our next education class, we will be discussing the psychosocial effects of the transplant journey. Join us for an open and honest discussion with Charlie Thomas, social worker from Banner Transplant Institute with almost 2 decades of experience with transplant patients, Dr. Jose Urdaneta, psychiatrist for transplant patients at St. Joseph's Hospital and Dr James Spivey, Chair of Internal Medicine at St. Joseph's Hospital and background in hepatology and transplant. Charlie Thomas will give a presentation on studies in mental health of transplant recipients and Dr Urdaneta and Dr Spivey will comment and answer questions.
The meeting will be on Monday May 14, 2018 at 5:00pm at 24th Street Conference Center, 1841 N 24th Street in Phoenix, AZ. All are welcome!
Light refreshments provided by New Life Soceity.
Please message me if you have any questions!

@newlifesociety Thank you for this information. It sounds like an interesting class for all transplant patients and their caregivers.

Unfortunately this is too far for many of us to travel. Does anyone have any information about any similar educational/discussion events that are happening at other locations?
Rosemary

Transplant Community Event in Arizona 11/11/18 3pm

Good morning! New Life Society is a local charity that bridges relationships with transplant organizations and offers support through programs to enhance and protect the quality of life for transplant recipients, caregivers and their families.

We are celebrating 30 years of support to transplant patients and caregivers in Arizona. We will have a FREE party, and anyone is invited to attend. We will have BBQ, a Tribute Wall, live band, Photo Booth and a short presentation hosted by Pat MacMahon, a long-time advocate of our work.

For more information and to RSVP, please go to:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/transplant-celebration-30th-anniversary-of-new-life-society-tickets-50277864446

I hope to meet new transplant patients and transplant team members from Mayo! See you there!

I send my sincere appreciation and congratulations for 30 years of support torecipients, caregivers, and families.

Transplant Education Meeting in Phoenix, AZ March 25, 2019 6pm

At the March education meeting, we will discuss the risks and benefits of surgery, how to prepare for after-care, and steps to take to prevent post-surgery complications.

As bone mineral density declines with age, it is often accelerated by immunospressive medications, corticosteroids, and immobility in a post-transplant patients (1), and recipients have the potential to develop painful osteoporotic fractures (2). Hip or knee surgery provides joint pain relief and dramatic improvement in quality of life for transplant recipients, however it needs a multidisciplinary team approach. The transplant team should consult with the surgeon prior to surgery.

Join us as Dr. Jarbo from OrthoArizona educates us on the common issues faced by organ transplant recipients that are in need of a joint replacement or surgery.

A graduate of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Jarbo completed his surgery residency in orthopedics at Banner Good Samaritan Orthopedic Surgery and established his practice in Phoenix. Dr. Jarbo specializes in knee, shoulder, and elbow surgery including ligament reconstruction of the knee (ACL/PCL) and elbow (UCL or “Tommy John”), cartilage restoration procedures, rotator cuff and labral surgery, minimally invasive knee and shoulder replacements, reverse shoulder replacement and fracture care.

for more information, go to http://www.NewLifeSociety.org/new-events

1 McDonaldJA,DunstanCR,DilworthP,SherbonK,SheilAG, Evans RA, et al. Bone loss after liver transplantation. Hepatology 1991;14:613-619

2 Brian T. Nickel, MD, Cameron K. Ledford, MD, Tyler Steven Watters, MD,∗ Samuel S. Wellman, MD, and Michael P. Bolognesi, MD, Arthroplasty in organ transplant patients, Arthroplasty Today. 2015 June, 10.1016/j.artd.2015.04.002

Hello everyone! If you are a post-transplant patient from Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, our annual patient and family picnic information is available for you! The picnic will be held this summer on July 28, 2019 from 11:00am to 3:00pm at Soldiers Field Park in Rochester. You can RSVP to transplantpicnic@gmail.com. We would love to see you there!

Transplant Education Class in Phoenix, AZ

Everyone knows how important regular exercise is, but the gym isn’t always fun or accessible!

Join us for a talk on the importance of starting a fitness routine and how to safely exercise post-transplant. You’ll have a chance to ask any questions you have about workout programs and get tour of the gym at Ability360. Learn about our amazing offer to join for free through the end of the year!

Our guest speaker is Luke Rumbyrt. He received his B.S. in Exercise Science from Grand Canyon University in 2018 and is a NASM certified personal trainer. For the past 4 years Luke has worked with a variety of individuals in several unique environments. In just a short time period he has helped train high-school athletes, elderly men and women, Division 1 athletes, MLB/NFL players, and recently has worked with Amputees and Spinal Cord Injuries.

Studies show transplant recipients and candidates can be limited by several factors surrounding transplant surgery, including:
Reduced exercise and functional capacity
Decreased health-related quality of life
Weakness
Muscle atrophy
Decreased bone density
Increased fatigue
Decreased cardiopulmonary capacity of 40-60%
Psychosocial factors

When we fail to take our health seriously, it can have detrimental effects on our quality of life. We care about your quality of life, that's why we asked Luke to speak with us!

Luke loves teaching and showing people the body's true capabilities and potential through exercise. He is a strong believer in making exercise fun and building a customized program for each client. From working in several different environments he recognizes that everybody is extremely unique and requires a specialized approach when it comes to training. Not only has he worked in the gym setting, but he has also spent a lot of time in Physical Therapy clinics, and understands the importance of corrective exercise and proper technique.

One of Luke's favorite quotes he lives by and applies to his coaching style is "Everybody is a Somebody."

Please send questions to info@TransplantAZ.org or 602-277-2661
Light food and beverages at 5:30 and presentation at 6:00 pm
Meeting will be in the Conference Room on the first floor by the Cafe.
Free parking in the parking garage.