UVA Transplant

04/06/2026

It’s Patient Access Week — and we’re shining a light on the incredible team members who keep transplant moving forward every single day.

They’re the schedulers, problem-solvers, coordinators, and calm voices on the other end of the line — making access to care possible when it matters most.

If you see them this week, say hi, join the fun, and help us celebrate 🎉

👇 Leave a thank you below — because we truly couldn’t do this work without them.

04/04/2026

Our 6th Annual Pinwheel Garden is up 💙

You’ll find it outside the main entrance of the West Complex through the end of the month.

Every pinwheel represents what’s possible because someone said yes.

Take a moment to pause with us—
to honor, celebrate, and remember.
And if you haven’t yet, consider registering to be a donor.

04/03/2026

Had an incredible time yesterday with , representing UVA Health and celebrating Donate Life Month.

Nothing better than seeing so many of our patients out in the community—strong, thriving, and living their stories.

Proud to honor our living donors and the dedicated living donor liver team who make these second chances possible. 💙🧡

04/03/2026

This April, we stand in what defines UVA Health Transplant:

Hope. Innovation. Inspiration. Compassion.

And for the first time, we’re inviting you to be part of it in a new way.

This is our inaugural online fundraising campaign—a moment to come together and directly support the patients, families, and lifesaving work happening every day. 💚

Because behind every transplant is more than medicine—
it’s people, possibility, and a community that shows up.

💙 Be part of what’s next:
👉 https://getinvolved.uvahealth.org/campaign/784180/donate

04/02/2026

April is Donate Life Month — and at UVA Health, it’s deeply personal. 💙🧡

Recently featured in UVA Today, this powerful story highlights two individuals who don’t just work in transplant — they live its impact every day:
🔗 https://news.virginia.edu/content/she-gave-baby-part-her-liver-their-lives-changed-forever

Juan Francisco Guerra, Surgical Director of Liver Transplant and Living Liver Transplant, and Hannah Scheenstra — a living liver donor and transplant team member — are connected by something extraordinary.

Hannah made the selfless decision to donate part of her liver to save a baby’s life. Today, she and Dr. Guerra continue that mission, caring for patients and helping create more second chances.

Tonight, we celebrate that impact beyond the hospital walls.

Join us at Virginia Baseball Disharoon Park as Hannah and Dr. Guerra throw out the first pitch in honor of living donors everywhere.

Come be part of a moment that represents hope, healing, and the power of saying yes.

When 6-month-old Clara needed urgent help, Hannah Scheenstra stepped forward. It took her to the University of Virginia and a future she never imagined.

04/01/2026

Introducing the 2026 Donate Life Month t-shirt — and yes, it’s as powerful as it looks.

Hope. Innovation. Inspiration. Compassion.

Four words. One mission. Worn proudly by our team to guide every patient, every family, every life touched by transplant.

Want one for yourself? 👀 Keep watching our page — opportunities to win your own are coming, and they won’t last long!

04/01/2026

April begins one of the most meaningful times of the year—Donate Life Month !

At UVA Transplant, our work is grounded in four powerful words: Hope. Innovation. Inspiration. Compassion.

💙 Hope for patients and families waiting for a second chance.

💚 Innovation that pushes what’s possible in transplant medicine.

💙 Inspiration from the strength and resilience of those we serve.

💚Compassion in every moment of care, every step of the journey.

Throughout this month, we look forward to sharing stories, moments, and milestones—all grounded in these four words and the lives they touch every day.

We honor the donors who leave a legacy, the recipients who carry those gifts forward, and the teams who make it all possible.

Because behind every transplant is a story—and every story deserves a future.

03/31/2026

Continuing our series highlighting what motivates our incredible transplant team, we asked a few physicians and surgeons why they chose this work.

Dr. Angie Nishio Lucar, Medical Director of Living Donor Kidney Transplant and Transplant Nephrologist, shares:

"I chose transplant medicine (nephrology) because it offers hope and the promise of fuller, longer lives. I get to care for remarkable patients who endure so much yet still smile and express gratitude for a second chance at life. I am inspired by the multidisciplinary nature of transplant and the colleagues who make holistic and compassionate care possible. I am grateful to be able to come to work every day feeling able to help others and knowing that this work matters."

03/30/2026

Transplant isn’t one person—it’s an entire team showing up, every single day.

On National Doctors’ Day, we honor the UVA transplant physicians and surgeons who walk alongside patients through some of life’s most complex and meaningful moments.

We asked a few of our transplant physicians and surgeons what motivates them in this work—and their reflections say it best.

In the coming days, as we approach Donate Life Month, we’ll share their perspectives—reminders of why this work matters and the lives forever changed through organ donation. We’re honored to kick things off with Dr. Brian Wentworth, Transplant Hepatologist.

03/16/2026

Due to severe weather expected this afternoon, we are adjusting operations to keep our patients and staff safe. The Transplant Clinics will be closing at 11AM.

• Patients and staff remaining on Grounds after 11:00 a.m. are advised to stay until after 4:00 p.m. to avoid travel during the most severe weather window.
• Our team is actively calling patients with appointments today. Because of the short notice, we may not reach everyone directly.

If you have an appointment today and have questions, please check MyChart for updates or contact the clinic.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we work to keep everyone safe.

03/14/2026

Pinwheel kits will be available in the orange and blue transplant clinics starting next week.

Help contribute to the 6th Annual Transplant Pinwheel Garden, which will be installed outside the West Complex on March 27. Each pinwheel honors the patients, donors, and families whose lives are connected through donation and transplantation. 🌸🌻💚

03/12/2026

A stage 4 cancer diagnosis can feel like the end of the road.

But sometimes, a new path appears.

A recent story from News highlights a mother whose cancer had spread to her liver. After receiving a living donor liver transplant, she now has no evidence of disease.

Stories like this show the promise of transplant oncology — where organ transplantation can become part of cancer treatment for carefully selected patients.

At UVA Health, our transplant oncology and living donor liver transplant teams are working together to expand possibilities for patients facing complex liver disease and cancer.

💚 Every transplant story begins with hope — and often the generosity of a living donor.

Learn more about transplant and living donation at UVA Health.

Link in bio.