The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories Play Video "No other hospital could help me…" – Elmo, cardiovascular & transplant patient Play Video Play Video Play Video Play Video Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of Mayo Clinic transplant patients. A living legacy: Donors who give hope and healingCharnel Golis-Tabag stands with sign showing why she donated a kidney When Charnel Golis-Tabag picked up her sister from the airport in her home state of Hawaii, she didn't expect to hear that her sister's kidney function had dropped below 11%. That moment changed everything. "She told me she was on the transplant list," Charnel recalls. "Two days later, I called Mayo Clinic to start the living kidney donation process." Charnel had seen too many… (VIDEO) 13-year-old Ava is home with a new heart, kidney following a 22-month hospital stay After more than 22 months at Mayo Clinic Children's, 13-year-old Ava Weitl went home to Iowa. She and her family were met with tears and cheers as dozens of members from her care team, who are now considered friends of the family, said goodbye and wished her well. This was a day Ava had been looking forward to after a long journey with heart failure, two lifesaving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapies, a heart transplant, kidney… (VIDEO) Eliminating the need for lifelong immunosuppressive medications for transplant patientsCindy Kendall donated a kidney and stems cells to her brother, Mark Welter ROCHESTER, Minn. — While immunosuppressive medications are critical to prevent rejection of transplant organs, they also come with plenty of downsides. They can cause harsh side effects, like headaches and tremors, and increase the risk for infection and cancer. But what if there was a way to prevent organ rejection without using these medications? That goal fuels the work of Mark Stegall, M.D.,… (VIDEO) A rare cancer. A rare weapon. Curtis Jackson's inspiring story of survivalCurtis and Kim Jackson Curtis Jackson was living his dream life — a loving and supportive wife, three wonderful kids, and a future that looked as bright as could be. Then, one day, without warning, the dream was shattered. At only 46, Curtis was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, one of the deadliest and most aggressive forms of cancer. It's a silent killer that strikes the liver. It is often diagnosed in later stages, leaving patients with few… (VIDEO) Breathing easy thanks to the gift of life and new Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in ArizonaCraig Scherer takes a deep breath and a bold step into his second chance at life Lung disease is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Some of those diseases, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, are among the top leading causes of death globally. COPD alone affects over 16 million people, like Arizona resident Craig Scherer. Craig got treatments to manage his condition, but there's no cure. The disease is progressive, meaning… Mayo Clinic in Arizona announces launch of new lung transplant program offering hope and restored function to patients facing advanced lung diseaseFirst patient celebrates 67th birthday using his new lungs to blow out candles on his birthday cake in honor of receiving the gift of life PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic in Arizona announced it has added lung transplantation to its nationally recognized solid organ transplant program. The program delivers world-class care to critically ill patients battling end-stage lung disease who need a lung transplant to survive and restore their quality of life. The new Mayo Clinic Lung… A special graduation: Mayo Clinic care team organizes graduation walk for patientBrady Larson and his Mayo Clinic care team who organized a graduation walk Knowing Mayo Clinic patient Brady Larson would miss his college graduation, his Mayo Clinic care team quickly stepped in to create his own special graduation. Brady, 20, was supposed to walk across the stage and receive his diploma at Mitchell Institute of Technology in Mitchell, South Dakota, on Friday, May 9. Instead, he was more than 300 miles away at Mayo Clinic… Social worker helps patients on transplant 'journey of cautious hope'When Tiffany Coco steps into a room at Mayo Clinic Transplant Center in Arizona, she focuses on the patient's needs beyond the medical updates. "Often, patients put their best face forward with the physicians," says Coco, "And when they talk to us, they let their guard down and open up about how transplant affects their day-to-day life." As a licensed clinical social worker embedded in multidisciplinary care teams, Coco uses her clinical expertise to assess… A journey of resilience and hopeJoshua Abelson, a 63-year-old aviation sales and supply chain professional, has faced numerous health challenges with remarkable resilience. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Joshua now resides in Jacksonville, Florida, where he continues to inspire others with his story. Joshua's transplant journey began in 2009 when he first noticed symptoms that led to a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD), specifically pulmonary fibrosis, after numerous X-rays and scans. This diagnosis marked the start of a long… Britiny's teamBritiny Schultz Britiny Schultz can't wait for fall. A huge football fan, she's looking forward to cheering on her favorite teams. It's something many fans take for granted — not Britiny. She's able to keep cheering, thanks to her doctors at Mayo Clinic and the incredible gift of life from not just one, but two organ donors. Britiny and her nieces and nephews The South Dakota native says she closely follows two teams: "The Bison… Pagination Patient Stories Go to page 11 Go to page 22 NextNext Page Share your experience Share your Mayo Clinic transplant experience with others using social media. 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