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Tag: transplants

VCU wins approval to start lung transplant surgeries

VCU Health announced Wednesday it has received approval to start lung transplantation surgeries at its Hume-Lee Transplant Center, becoming one of three facilities in the state providing lung transplants.

“This will be extremely beneficial for the hundreds of patients living with advanced lung disease in Eastern and Central Virginia,” Dr. Marlon Levy, interim VCU Health System Authority CEO and interim senior vice president of VCU Health Sciences, said in a statement. “It removes the barrier of long-distant travel for those awaiting transplants and completes the continuum of care VCU Health can provide to those patients.”

Richmond-based United Network for Organ Sharing approved VCU Health’s application to conduct lung transplant surgeries, which often must take place quickly after an organ is received — and for some patients, requiring long-distance travel and staying away from home for lengthy periods.

According to VCU Health, the Hume-Lee Transplant Center in Richmond performs 37% of all transplants in Virginia. More than 1 million people in Virginia have chronic lung disease, and there are 930 people waiting for a lung transplant nationally, including roughly 30 Virginians. Inova Health System and UVA Health provide lung transplants, too.

“We are thrilled to expand our services to include lung transplantation,” said Dr. David Bruno, director of the Hume-Lee Transplant Center. “This milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to say ‘yes’ to more patients in need, ultimately saving more lives and offering renewed hope to those battling advanced lung diseases.”

UNOS CEO announces departure

Richmond-based UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing, will begin seeking a new chief executive at the end of September, the nonprofit announced Tuesday.

CEO Brian Shepard will leave after nearly a decade with the UNOS, which administers the nation’s organ procurement and transplantation network. UNOS’s chief operating officer, Maureen McBride, will serve as interim CEO beginning Oct. 1 while UNOS conducts a national search for Shepard’s successor.

Shepard joined UNOS in 2010 and became CEO in 2013, having served as acting CEO since late 2012. Before that, Shepard worked in high-level positions in Virginia state government, including as director of policy in Gov. Tim Kaine’s administration. The Virginia native holds a history degree from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the University of Virginia.

McBride has been with the group since 1995 and served as director of research until 2014, when she became chief operating officer.

UNOS has a big year in 2021, conducting more than 41,000 transplants, setting a global record. It broke the record set in 2020, when it performed more than 33,000 live-saving transplants.

“As UNOS CEO, Brian was a constant and courageous advocate for increasing equity in our national donation and transplantation system,” Jerry McCauley, incoming president of the UNOS board of directors, said in a statement. “His leadership has resulted in marked improvements in access to transplant for patients of color and those who have been historically marginalized. I am proud to have worked alongside Brian as a member of the UNOS board and am excited to build upon the foundation he has laid to further advance our mission and save even more lives.”