CU Transplant Center

01/15/2026

3 things that you should know if your child is on immunosuppression! Pediatric pharmacist Hannah shares more :)

01/14/2026

A moment worth celebrating: 5,000 kidney transplants completed since we started transplanting kidneys in the 1980s. 💪

We are proud of our incredible team at CU Transplant Center and the countless lives changed along the way.

01/12/2026

Children’s Hospital Colorado successfully performed the hospital’s first-ever heart and liver dual organ transplant, with support from dozens of team members across 25 different multidisciplinary care teams. Only 38 other pediatric heart and liver dual organ transplants have been completed in the United States.

Children's Colorado performed the region's first-ever pediatric heart and liver dual organ transplant, which has only been done 38 times in the U.S.

01/07/2026

This New Year, we’re excited to share Caitlin’s journey. She’s a Colorado native and an only child, and her life took a turn when her mom Susie was unexpectedly diagnosed with liver disease. What started as a simple backache turned out to be much more serious, leading to her mom needing a liver transplant.

Before that appointment, Caitlin had never heard of living liver donation. “I had no idea it was even an option. I was just trying to wrap my head around the fact that you can donate 60% of your liver and it grows back.” Caitlin was determined to help, so she immediately signed up to be a living donor. When they weren’t a match, they joined a paired exchange program, where two families swap donors so each recipient can get the liver they need.

What happened next was unexpected and remarkable.
Everything was set for surgery. But on the morning of the operation, the donor meant for Caitlin’s mom tested positive for West Nile. Caitlin was already in surgery.

Her family made a brave decision: they allowed the team to continue, knowing Caitlin would want to help someone in need. She went on to donate 60% of her liver to a complete stanger. And then, just 29 days later, a completely selfless non-directed donor walked into the hospital and saved her mom’s life. Today, Caitlin’s mom is healthy, active, and back to living the life she loves.

Caitlin is two years post-donation and stronger than ever. “If I could have done the surgery again the next day to save my mom, I absolutely would have.” Caitlin now shares her story to raise awareness of living donation because so many families still don’t know this life-saving option exists.

01/05/2026

Recently, we celebrated a truly remarkable milestone: our 5,000th kidney transplant since we started transplanting kidneys in the 1980s!

Dr. Trevor Nydam, Chief of Transplant Surgery, put it best: "This is an amazing accomplishment for our team! The amount of morbidity and mortality benefit we created is profound. The amount of lives saved is really something for us all to be proud of!"

12/22/2025

From Army service to a life-saving transplant. Meet Renner as he shares his powerful transplant story.

12/18/2025

Joining this trend with a living donor edition 💚💙

12/11/2025

The CU Anschutz Department of Surgery hit a milestone in November. performing its 100th robotic kidney transplant. The focus is on high-BMI patients.

12/11/2025

12/10/2025

On September 17, Walt became our 100th robotic kidney transplant patient, marking not just a major milestone for our program but a brand-new chapter in his life.

Thanks to the precision of robotic surgery, Walt’s incision was just over an inch long. He was out of the hospital in only two days, never needed narcotic pain medication, and says he felt “pretty normal” within a couple of weeks.

“I feel good. No side effects, no pain, just back to living life,” Walt shared. “Before, during dialysis, I didn’t have much energy or interest in doing things. Now I feel like myself again.”

Walt’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when innovation meets compassion. Each transplant represents not only a medical achievement but a renewed sense of hope and purpose.

Reaching 100 robotic kidney transplants is more than a milestone. It’s 100 lives transformed, 100 families touched, and countless moments of new beginnings.

We’re deeply grateful to Walt, and to every patient who entrusts us with their care, as well as our remarkable transplant team whose skill and dedication make milestones like this possible. Here’s to many more. 💙

12/05/2025

We asked our amazing female transplant surgeons what they love most about transplant surgery.

12/03/2025

Dr. Adams, our transplant surgeon, walks through the living liver donation proces from surgery to recovery and beyond. Help raise awareness by sharing!