CU Transplant Center

10/31/2025

Want a scary fact? You are 6 times more likely to need an organ transplant than to be an organ donor. Sign up to be an organ donor and share this post with someone who doesn’t know this yet!!

10/31/2025

10/30/2025

Can a parent really donate part of their liver to their child? This Liver Awareness Month, Dr. Adams shares more!

10/29/2025

What really happens when an identical twin donates to his brother? Captain Ryan Cook tells us more!!

Did you know that identical twins don’t need immunosuppressants after a transplant?

10/24/2025

Haaris, a medical student at was awarded the ASTS Presidential Student Mentor Grant at the World Transplant Congress earlier this year. This prestigious award supports medical students conducting impactful research in transplantation.

Haaris’s project focuses on assessing access to transplantation in patients with disabilities and examining their outcomes after transplant, vital work aimed at improving equity in surgical and transplant-related care.

“One of my interests is assessing access to surgical and transplant-related care, and this work is in line with that. I think this is crucial, especially in a historically underserved subset of those who need transplant, and I hope that this work can inform clinical practice and guidelines in evaluations. I feel grateful for the continued support of the Transplant team here in helping me pursue this important work!”

We’re so proud of Haaris for this well-deserved recognition and look forward to seeing the impact of this meaningful research. 🌟

10/22/2025

October is Liver Awareness Month, so we asked our amazing doctors to share their favorite liver fact! Share yours in the comments below!

10/20/2025

We’re proud to celebrate three extraordinary members of our team who were recognized by the CU Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology for their leadership, dedication, and impact.

Dr. James Burton – Faculty Mentor Award
Dr. Burton embodies what it means to lead with integrity and purpose. His commitment to guiding others has shaped countless careers and strengthened our entire program. He mentors with compassion, honesty, and a genuine desire to see others succeed.

Dr. Whitney Jackson – Rising Leader / Pioneer in Innovation Award
Dr. Jackson’s vision and drive have transformed our Living Donor Liver Transplant Program into the largest in the nation for non-directed living liver donation. Her groundbreaking work has advanced donor advocacy, outcomes research, and pediatric living donation — reshaping the field and improving lives every day.

Dr. Avash Karla - Dedication to Service Award
Behind every successful program are people whose quiet dedication keeps everything running smoothly. Dr. Karla is one of those people. His service, compassion, and relentless commitment to excellence reflect the very best of who we are.

Together, Drs. Burton, Jackson, and Karla represent the heart of our mission: excellence in care, innovation in practice, and service to others. We are honored to have them as part of our transplant family and deeply grateful for all they do for our patients and community.

Please join us in congratulating these incredible leaders!
👏👏

10/15/2025

Brianna Roskie’s story starts in Colorado, where giving back has always been part of who she is, as a mom, an EMS worker, a dog rescuer, and now, a living liver donor.

When Brianna learned her friend was looking for a liver donor, she got tested right away. Someone else turned out to be a match, but she didn’t stop there. The experience opened her eyes to the idea of altruistic donation, where you donate to someone you don’t know.

She decided to give part of her liver to a child she had never met. That choice saved a little boy’s life. Today, he’s healthy, running around, playing soccer, and living the life every five-year-old should have.

“It’s hard to describe the feeling,” Brianna says. “Knowing that part of me is helping someone else live, especially a child, is incredible. Our bodies are amazing. The liver grows back, and you keep living your life, but now with a deeper sense of purpose.”

“I spent years helping people in emergency medicine, and I missed that feeling of service,” Brianna shares. “Donating was my way to give back again, to do something that truly mattered.”

She later learned that nearly all living donors have rescued animals. “It makes sense,” she laughs. “I’ve rescued two dogs, and I have a feeling there will be more.”

“If you can save a life and still live yours,” she says, “why wouldn’t you?”

10/13/2025

As wraps up, our medical assistants share the myths they hear all the time!

10/10/2025

It’s so we asked our amazing team for some myths that they commonly hear!

10/03/2025

On August 31, 2025, we hit an incredible milestone, our 3,000th liver transplant since Dr. Igal Kam started the program in 1988.

We’re so proud of our team and grateful to our patients, their families, and the donors who make the gift of life possible.

Our chief of transplant, Dr. Trevor Nydam put it best:
“Amazing, what a great accomplishment! Think of all the change in mortality that you are responsible for...absurd. Best team in the country.”

We were also honored to have Dr. Kam join us for a small celebration this afternoon. Here’s to the lives saved and the ones still to come!

10/02/2025

Why do our awesome transplant surgeons love what they do? Tell us in the comments why you love transplantation!