Northwestern Medicine celebrates 10,000th organ transplant
CHICAGO — Northwestern Medicine on Wednesday celebrated its 10,000th abdominal organ transplant procedure, becoming the first health system in Illinois to achieve such a milestone.
Physicians, nurses, social workers, and staff gathered at Providence Women’s Hospital to mark the accomplishment. Since 1964, Northwestern Medicine’s organ transplant program has performed more than 6,500 kidney transplants, 2,600 liver transplants and 850 pancreas transplants.
“Northwestern Medicine is the largest transplant and living donor program in Illinois and one of the largest in the United States, performing 347 kidney transplants, 138 liver transplants, and 33 pancreas transplants in 2023 and ranks seventh in the nation in kidney transplant volume, 29th in liver transplant volume and third in pancreas volume,” said a release announcing the achievement.
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Dr. Joseph Leventhal, a transplant surgeon and director of multiple transplant programs at Northwestern Medicine, said the journey to the 10,000th transplant has been remarkable.
“I know I speak for all of my colleagues here at NM Transplant when I say it has been an honor and a privilege to help to improve the lives of so many patients,” Leventhal said.
For more information on the Northwestern Medicine Organ Transplant Center, visit nm.org. People who are interested in becoming living donors can visit nmlivingdonor.org.
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