April 25, 2023

To be the best, you need the best people, and at Texas Children’s our Transplant Services Team has proven year after year they reign supreme.

Texas Children’s is home to the largest and #1 ranked Pediatric Transplant Center in the United States. The hospital has great success in helping patients with cases other hospitals might consider untreatable, and it’s all thanks to the dedicated individuals who form our world-class Transplant Services team.

“We have an incredible team, and I’m so proud of what they do for our patients,” said Diana Harter, director of Nursing, Transplant Services and Palliative Care. “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for my team knowing the sacrifices they make and the emotional toll this work takes, but they do it with such grace and humility. Thank you also to everyone across the system involved in the care of these patients. Transplant is a team sport and working alongside such talented experts in the field is a privilege.”

There are so many memorable patients and success stories that come through the transplant center. Everyone who had the pleasure of working with Ava came away with a special feeling. Ava was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was just a few weeks old, but had remained healthy and up until last April was never hospitalized.

As a then 4-year-old, she suddenly developed pneumonia, and after a short time at a local hospital in New Orleans was transported to Texas Children’s for advanced therapy. Unfortunately, her health kept declining, and she remained in the PICU for 10 months. She was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and put on the transplant list for lungs. After waiting for more than 200 days, she received her transplant in November 2022. It’s been a tough recovery, but thanks in large part to a dedicated team supporting her along the way, Ava is now thriving.

There are many people involved in the care of a patient, especially for those who spend an extended period of time with us. Nikki Beard, PICU/TICU child life specialist, was an integral member of Ava’s care team. Their time together involved a lot of activities from arts and crafts to playing “Dr. Ava,” as well as celebrating milestones and holidays.

“Ava is a strong little girl, and honestly, made my job so easy and fun,” said Nikki. “Most of my time with Ava was creating a sense of normalcy for her in the ICU and establishing myself as a supportive presence for both her and her family. Ava viewed me as a person who was there to play with and make the hospital fun, which was exactly my goal.”

In honor of Ava’s legacy, Nikki gifted her with a scrapbook of her PICU memories. It included letters from the staff who worked with Ava reflecting on their journey with her and their favorite memories. It also included the many photos Ava’s mom took of Ava with the staff.

“Watching Ava flip through the pages and get so excited to see all of the friends she had made over the last 10 months was such a fulfilling moment that I will never forget. When she is older, I hope this scrapbook will remind Ava how much she overcame, and how strong she truly is!”

Child Life Specialists in critical care often are there to provide emotional support for children and families on the worst days of their lives, but Nikki and her fellow specialists lean on each other for support and motivation to deliver the best care they can.

Nikki believes she has the best job in and world and is grateful for what she does. “Supporting kids and families on their most difficult days is such an honor and something that I do not take for granted. Witnessing the resiliency of my patients inspires me more than they will ever know, and I feel so honored to have a front-row seat to the miracles happening on a daily basis.”

Last year alone, Texas Children’s successfully performed 99 organ transplants, the highest volume for all pediatric centers across the United States for the sixth year in a row. According to the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network (OPTN), in 2022, our heart, lung and liver transplant teams had the top pediatric volumes in the country with 29 hearts, 7 lungs and 35 liver transplants. Our kidney transplant program completed 29 transplants, finishing the year with the second highest pediatric kidney transplant volume in the nation. In addition to these exceptional volumes, our teams are dedicated to quality patient care and our programs lead the nation with exceptional outcomes as well.

Pediatric Transplant Week and Patient Experience Week are both celebrated this week. April is also Donate Life Month. We thank and honor all the dedicated team members in these departments who create a healthier future for children and women, every day. We are also so grateful to all the selfless organ donors and their families who chose to donate life during their darkest hour.

February 3, 2023

For the sixth consecutive year, Texas Children’s Hospital leads the nation in pediatric transplants, as reported by the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network (OPTN), the country’s unique public-private registry for organ matching.

The newly released OPTN data places the nation’s largest children’s hospital at No. 1 for pediatric heart, liver and lung transplants, and No. 2 for pediatric kidney transplants in the United States.

In 2022, Texas Children’s Transplant Services successfully performed 99 transplants, outpacing all other children’s hospitals by more than 20 complex surgeries.

“The Transplant Services team has consistently exceeded benchmarks, advanced research and established Texas Children’s as the top hospital for life-saving pediatric organ transplants,” said President and CEO Mark A. Wallace. “I am so proud of everything this team has accomplished and, most importantly, how many children’s lives they have saved. The passion and dedication of each member of this team is an inspiration to everyone at Texas Children’s.”

A track record that speaks for itself

In 2022, the Texas Children’s Hospital Transplant Services team celebrated another milestone: the 20th anniversary of its lung transplant program, through which our experts have performed 240 life-saving surgeries since 2002. The team is well-equipped to care for patients with the most complex and complicated conditions, including infants and children on life support. Over the last decade, Texas Children’s has performed more infant lung transplants than any other hospital in the nation.

Additionally, Texas Children’s Hospital received approval in 2022 from the OPTN to launch the nation’s first uterine transplant program housed within a pediatric transplant hospital. This innovative program, which aims to utilize uterus transplantation as a treatment option to help women with absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI) achieve healthy pregnancies, will be a close partnership between the Transplant Services team and the Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women.

“While we are proud to have the highest volume of pediatric transplants, we are even more encouraged by our success rate,” said Dr. Larry H. Hollier, Surgeon-in-Chief and Department of Surgery Chair. “Our patients need and deserve the very best. Their outcomes are our top priority, and our pediatric transplant success rate is a testament to our commitment to them. Texas Children’s experts possess a depth of skill and service, both within the transplant program and throughout the hospital, that enables patients – from infants to young adults – to receive life-saving lung, heart, liver and kidney transplants and best-in-class care.”

Providing complex, multifaceted medical and surgical care

The Transplant Services team employs a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach through each aspect of the transplant process, ranging from initial referrals, which are accepted from around the world, to hospitalization and post-transplant outpatient care. The multidisciplinary team of pediatric transplant experts works closely with patients, families and referring physicians to make the evaluation process as convenient and efficient as possible.

Continuing its record of innovation and excellence, Texas Children’s Transplant Services team often achieves success with cases that other programs may consider untreatable. Its impressive list of firsts includes:

  • The first successful infant heart transplant in the United States.
  • The first pediatric lung-kidney transplant in the United States.
  • The hospital’s first – and one of only three in the nation – triple transplant of heart, lungs and liver in one procedure.

“We are only able to provide our patients with these life-saving transplants because of selfless organ donors and their families,” said Dr. John A. Goss, Medical Director of Transplant Services. “These heroes make each transplant success story possible, and the doctors, surgeons, care teams and pediatric transplant patients and families are so thankful for the gift of life from each donor.”

For more information on Transplant Services, click here.

February 8, 2022

Newly released industry data places Texas Children’s Hospital No. 1 for heart, liver and lung transplants; No. 2 for kidney transplants in the United States

Texas Children’s Hospital leads the nation in pediatric transplants, as reported by the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network (OPTN), the country’s unique public-private registry for organ matching.

The newly released OPTN data places the nation’s largest children’s hospital No. 1 for pediatric heart, liver and lung transplants, and No. 2 for pediatric kidney transplants in the United States.

In 2021, Texas Children’s Hospital Transplant Services successfully performed 118 transplants, outpacing all other children’s hospitals by more than 30 complex surgeries.

“This exceptional team has worked tirelessly to consistently improve care, develop new avenues, and have now ultimately paved the way for Texas Children’s to be the premier hospital for lifesaving transplant surgeries,” said Mark A. Wallace, President and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital. “The expertise and unwavering passion of every single member of this team is unlike any other. I am incredibly proud of all they’ve accomplished, and I know this is only the beginning.”

Last year, the Texas Children’s Hospital Transplant Services team achieved two first-in-the-nation milestones: its 2000th transplant patient, solidifying the program’s status as the highest volume pediatric transplant center in the United States for the fourth consecutive year; and its 500th pediatric heart transplant, a benchmark that highlights Texas Children’s world-class pediatric heart transplant program.

“The Texas Children’s Hospital Transplant Services team’s impressive volume of pediatric transplants is topped only by its success rate,” said Dr. Larry H. Hollier, Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair of the Texas Children’s Hospital Department of Surgery. “Among the highest in both the nation and the world, our pediatric transplant success rate underscores the Transplant Services team’s cutting-edge, leading position in the field.”

As the most active pediatric transplant center in the world, Texas Children’s Hospital possesses a depth of skill and service, both within the program and throughout the hospital, that allows for best-in-class care of newborns to young adults in need of heart, kidney, liver and lung transplants.

The staff offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach through all aspects of the transplant process, from initial referrals, which are accepted from around the world, to hospitalization and outpatient management. The pediatric transplant team – including transplant surgeons, immunologists, coordinators, dietitians, child life specialists, and social workers – works closely with patients, families and referring physicians to help make the evaluation process as convenient and efficient as possible.

Building on its record of excellence, the Texas Children’s Hospital’s Transplant Services team often accepts and achieves success with cases other programs may consider untreatable. For this reason, the Transplant Services team boasts an impressive list of firsts, including:

  • The first successful infant heart transplant in the United States;
  • The first pediatric lung-kidney transplant in the United States;
  • The hospital’s first – and one of only three in the nation – triple transplant of heart, lungs, and liver in one procedure.

“The real heroes in every transplant story are the selfless donors and their families,” said Dr. John A. Goss, Medical Director of Transplant Services at Texas Children’s Hospital. “As doctors, we are humbled and honored to witness the impact this incredible gift of life has on the lives of our pediatric transplant patients and their families.”

For more information about Texas Children’s Hospital Transplant Services, please visit https://www.texaschildrens.org/departments/transplant-services.

April 20, 2021

Texas Children’s Transplant Team dressed up for National Donate Life Blue & Green Day on April 16 as a part of National Donate Life Month, which is held each April and dedicated to raising awareness for organ and tissue donation.

National Donate Life Month is also a time to reflect and show gratitude for the many courageous donors and donor families who have saved lives through the gift of donation.

If you have not considered being an organ donor, now is a great month to make that choice. Being an organ donor is a selfless act that can save up to eight lives. Donors leave a courageous legacy, and in some ways, are able to live on in transplant recipients. For more reasons why you should register to be an organ donor, check out this blog from Diana Harter, assistant clinical director of Transplant Services.

Texas Children’s is one of the largest and most active pediatric transplantation programs in the country. Learn more about our services and programs for patients awaiting an organ transplant by clicking here.

Ready to commit to life in the event of a tragedy? Visit www.RegisterMe.org to become an organ donor, and check out www.donatelife.net for more on organ and tissue donation.

April 12, 2021

In a recent blog, team member Diana Harter shares her experience working at Texas Children’s Transplant Services and explains the importance of registering to be an organ donor. Legacy Tower will be lit on Friday, April 16, in honor of Donate Life Month. Read more

June 18, 2020

On June 12, Juliana Graves met her donor heart family with her mom, dad and brother by her side. Juliana, now 6, had a life-saving heart transplant at Texas Children’s in 2014 at just 17 days old.

The Graves family knew they would one day want to meet the family who gave their daughter the gift of life. That meeting happened last week when the Graves family met the Aguiars at LifeGift where they shared stories and memories about Juliana and the Aguiars’ son, Christopher.

Christopher’s mom, Jennifer Aguiar, also listened to her son’s heart beating inside Juliana’s chest.

“Meeting the Graves family was both beautiful and comforting,” Jennifer Aguiar said. “It’s helping me process the loss of my son.”

Riki Graves, Juliana’s mother, said her family thinks and prays about Christopher every day and that being able to meet his family was “wonderful.”

During the meeting, Juliana handed Jennifer a teddy bear and gave her a big, long hug.

“The most important thing this family has given me is Christopher’s heart,” the little girl said.

Living without a new heart was not an option for Juliana. Doctors with Texas Children’s Fetal and Heart Centers diagnosed her with a complex heart condition before she was born and initially thought she would need several heart surgeries shortly after being delivered.

Riki was already fighting a battle when she found out, at 20-weeks pregnant, that her unborn daughter might not survive. Earlier in her pregnancy, Riki was diagnosed with breast cancer and decided to pause treatment while still pregnant.

Her team of doctors at the Fetal Center monitored her pregnancy very closely. Juliana was born on April 9, 2014 and it was determined that her heart was too structurally abnormal and weak to undergo surgery. Juliana was placed on the transplant list on April 21. On April 26, at 17 days old, she received her new heart.

Dr. Jeffrey Heinle, associate chief of congenital heart surgery, led the transplant surgery, which was a success. He and Dr. Jeff Dreyer, pediatric cardiologist and medical director of heart failure, cardiomyopathy and cardiac transplantation, have been following Juliana and working with the Graves family to provide them with continuous, ongoing care.

“The Graves’ story is a remarkable one and much of it is owed to the generosity of the Aguiar family,” Heinle said. “Organ donation truly saves lives. This is a perfect example of that.”

Dreyer agreed and said it’s always nice to be part of such a happy ending.

“This mother and child have overcome so many obstacles,” he said. “Continuous monitoring for Juliana will be needed, but she is on a positive path forward thanks to her donor family and others.”

Diana Harter, assistant clinical director of nursing for transplant, was Juliana’s transplant coordinator. She said she knows the Graves family has been waiting a long time to meet their donor family and that such meetings are meaningful and healing for everyone involved.

“Donor meetings are so special to witness,” said Harter, who attended the meeting with the Graves and Aguiars last week via video conference. “They bring everything full circle.”

May 26, 2020

Amid the chaos surrounding COVID-19, Barron Shoemaker, a bright and energetic 1-year-old, got a life-saving gift – a new heart. The boy recently received a transplant at Texas Children’s Hospital where he had been waiting and cared for the past six months. He is now home in Temple, Texas. Read more