Philly Leader

The team at Temple University Hospital's Living Donor Program has been focusing on improving experiences for living donors. Antonio Di Carlo, MD, who serves as Surgical Director of Kidney, Liver, and Pancreas Donation and Living Donation, underscores the importance of providing a seamless experience for these generous individuals who volunteer to donate their organs without any personal health issues. Dr. Di Carlo states, "Our living donors are superheroes. They should walk around with capes."

Eleven years ago, Temple University Hospital conducted about one living donor kidney transplant per year. However, last year alone saw around 30 such procedures, reflecting a significant increase as the hospital aims to improve outcomes for recipients. Dr. Di Carlo highlights that living donations often result in better outcomes compared to deceased donations due to shorter waiting times and reduced dialysis dependency. “Nothing works faster, better, and longer than a living donor kidney,” he explains.

The Living Donor Program aims to make the donation process as smooth as possible for donors. Living Donor Kidney Transplant Coordinator John Mulligan shares, "I think this is the best job at Temple Health," emphasizing the individualized care provided to each donor. Mary Beth Lawrence and Carly Capano are among the new members added to the team, enhancing the program's capability to quickly engage potential donors and accommodate their schedules.

Awareness and community outreach are also on the rise. Capano notes, “When I’ve visited dialysis centers, I’ve found that a lot of people don’t even know about living donation.” Efforts to educate the community are ongoing, as indicated by Ryan Ihlenfeldt, Director of Clinical Transplant Services, who mentions increasing presence at community events.

Patient feedback has been positive, with staff receiving praise for the support provided throughout the donation process. Dr. Di Carlo stresses the importance of continuous improvement, striving to increase the percentage of recipients receiving living donor kidneys to 40-50% from the current 25-30%.