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Programs and research
Quality and experience you can trust
The UW Health Kids Transplant team, part of the UW Health Transplant Center, has been serving kids in organ failure for more than 55 years. We are the only transplant center in Wisconsin transplanting kids in need of kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, heart, multi-organ and renal auto transplants. Our transplant teams have the experience you need for the very best results. Our living donation program is among the nation’s largest and serves directed and non-directed living kidney and liver donors.
From the New York Times
Our nearly 60 years of transplant experience and our new pediatric heart transplant program are highlighted in this New York Times Paid Post.
Our organ and tissue donation program is a Health Resources and Services Administration best-practice site and leads the nation in serving deceased organ and tissue donors.
COVID-19 Information
The well-being and safety of our transplant patients is always our top priority. For guidelines and information specific to transplant patients, please visit COVID-19 precautions for transplant patients.
Innovation and research
UW Health is part of an academic medical center. We create and test new ways to help transplant patients live longer and reduce risks for living donors. In fact, Laurel, who received a kidney from her sister Peg when she was 14 years old, is doing great after 56 years. Read Laurel's story
UW Health is home to several innovations that forever changed the world of transplantation, including: UW Solution, the gold standard of organ preservation solutions still used throughout the world, CellCept, an immunosuppressant that vastly reduced the side effects and number of medications needed to halt organ rejection and the “Wisconsin technique” a surgical method that vastly improved pancreas transplant and saved thousands of lives.
Some of our current work includes studying new medicines that reduce the side effects of immunosuppression, studies to eliminate the need for immunosuppression medications, and research to improve long-term survival rates for organ transplant patients.
Learn more about our transplant research and clinical trials
Welcome to our transplant family
Organ transplant offers new hope for a long and healthy life for kids with end-stage organ failure. Our experts know that organ failure can be a scary journey and we do everything possible to make this experience easier for kids and families. We treat you like members of our family, because to us, you are.
Our Kids transplant programs include:
Heart transplant
Our experts support kids in heart failure who require ventricular assist device support and/or heart transplant.
Kidney transplant
We are among the nation’s largest kidney transplant programs and offer many options for kidney donation and transplant. We provide both directed and non-directed living donor and deceased donor kidney transplants.
Liver transplant
We offer living and deceased donor liver transplants. A liver transplant helps people with liver failure and some liver diseases, such as hepatitis C and cirrhosis.
Lung transplant
We provide lung transplant services for kids age 12 or older. A lung transplant helps people with advanced lung disease. We treat the most complex lung patients, including multi-organ transplants. Our wait times are very short, and our outcomes are excellent.
Pancreas transplant
We perform more pancreas transplants than any other program in the United States. A transplant may be an option if you are living with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
Pancreas/kidney transplant — We are the largest combined kidney/pancreas transplant program in the United States. A pancreas/kidney transplant ends diabetes and replaces a kidney damaged by the disease.
Autologous islet cell — An autologous islet cell transplant treats chronic pancreatitis. Your damaged pancreas is removed and your islet cells are placed in your liver where they make insulin.
Renal Autotransplant
Renal autotransplant treats people who suffer loin pain by removing the kidney and placing it in a new location in the body.
Living donation program
Living donation occurs when a living person provides a kidney or a portion of their liver to someone who needs a transplant. An organ from a living donor gives patients the best chance of a healthy life. At UW Health, we provide education, information and support to those considering the gift of a living donation. We honor and celebrate our living donors heroes.
Support Programs
Our team focuses on your child’s specific needs before, during and after their transplant experience. Along with your child’s organ transplant medical and surgical team, experts in pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, nutrition, social work, mental health, neuropsychiatry, development, infectious disease and financial counseling support your child and family.
Housing and patient support
We provide options for patients requiring housing while waiting for, or recovering from, transplant or living donation. UW Health Housing staff will be happy to assist you with your housing needs. These options include:
Laboratory services
Our histocompatibility lab provides clinical services and research specific to transplant patients and donors to ensure the highest level of organ matching.
Mentor program
We link you by phone or in person to a mentor who received an organ transplant or donated an organ. Your mentor will share information about their experience and answer your questions.
Pharmacy services
Pharmacists with expertise in transplant will assist you with your medication education and management.
Promoting the gift of life
We provide ways you can help others better understand the importance of organ donation and transplantation:
Writing your donor family
Our team facilitates correspondence between recipients and deceased donor family members and between recipients and non-directed living donors.
Resources to help you correspond
Referring a child for transplant
We consider it a great honor to care for your patient who may need an organ transplant. We want the referral process to be as easy as possible and will work with you to maintain strong communication.
All the little things
We know that transplant is a big experience for kids and their families, so we embrace every little opportunity to create smiles.
Locations
Our locations
We offer pre-and post- transplant surgery services for Kids at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison.
American Family Children's Hospital
Our world-class, family-friendly hospital welcomes kids from across the nation. Our expert physicians and support services teams provide remarkable care for kids, including the sickest and most seriously injured.
Meet our team
Our expert pediatric transplant teams
Our team of pediatric transplant experts are widely respected for their expertise, research and focus on patient care. Together with our patients and families, we provide personalized care and education through every step of your donation or transplant journey.
Your transplant care team has expertise in issues specific to transplantation. Our experts include:
Pediatric physician and surgical specialists in organ failure and transplant, gastroenterology, hepatology, nephrology, pulmonology and living donation
Advanced practice providers who specialize in organ failure and transplant
Certified transplant nurse coordinators
Registered nurses
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
Transplant financial counselors
Health psychologists
Respiratory therapists
Transplant social workers
Transplant pharmacists
Infectious disease physicians
Neuropsychiatry and developmental support
Physical and occupational therapists
Chaplains
School teachers
Child Life specialists
Pediatric transplant surgeons
Pediatric GI/Hepatologists
Nephrologists
Pulmonologists
Patient and support services
Resources for patients and families
We offer many helpful resources for before and after your transplant.
Information for transplant patients
Internet resources
Stay connected
Learn how we’re improving transplantation, read inspiring stories and discover ways you can save more lives by promoting organ donation.
