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Heartbreak Hill: It’s the notorious Boston Marathon landmark that runners both anticipate and dread. But when Deshanthi “Desh” Perera approaches that challenging climb on April 16, she’ll have special motivation propelling her uphill. Perera, a nurse working on the organ transplant inpatient unit of the Pediatric Transplant Center at Boston Children’s Hospital and first-time marathoner, isn’t just running for the glory of a personal best time or the satisfaction of completing the race. She’s running for all of the remarkable patients at Boston Children’s, including three of her own. …
Away from home for the holidays: A new liver gives Phillips the gift of life
Family, friends, food, presents and a tree: It might have seemed like any other Christmas, but there were a few important differences that made this day unique for the Pratts. They were celebrating the holiday a week early. And their younger son, Phillips, was about to get the gift of a lifetime. In just a few days, the 14-year-old would receive a liver transplant. …
6 ways to celebrate National Donate Life Month
Each year, during the month of April, National Donate Life Month draws attention to those who have saved and healed lives through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation. Here are six simple ways to participate, celebrate and educate.
Become an organ donor.
- Register to be a donor at registerme.org/campaign/bch.
- Designate “organ donor” on your driver’s license.
- Visit transplantliving.org to learn more about becoming a living donor.
‘Like night and day’: Kellen’s new kidney
Like any parent, Brittany Young has scores of photos of her four children, whether they’re celebrating the holidays, visiting Disney World or just goofing around. But it’s a picture of her son Kellen at Boston Children’s Hospital that has the potential to bring tears to a viewer’s eyes. Surrounded by his care team, Kellen sits in his hospital bed, a wide smile on his face. There, amid the stuffed toys and colorful blankets, rests a seemingly innocuous item: a package of Pampers. Yet for Kellen and his family, those diapers mean so much more. They’re a sign that this little boy’s newly transplanted kidney is working just as it should. …