Inaugural Transplant Symposium Brings Experts Together to Advance Care Across the Transplant Journey
An auditorium of transplant professionals, clinicians, care team members and faculty gathered at Children’s Mercy Research Institute on July 17 for the inaugural Transplant Symposium hosted by the Brendan Tripp Elam Transplant Center in collaboration with Midwest Transplant Network. The day-long event provided an opportunity for learning, collaboration and connection across the transplant community.
In welcoming attendees, symposium leader David Sutcliffe, MD, emphasized the value of bringing together a diverse group of transplant specialists to share knowledge, spark new ideas and strengthen partnerships that ultimately benefit transplant patients and families.
The symposium featured a robust educational agenda focused on the evolving landscape of transplantation and the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration. Steven Webber, MBChB, MRCP, delivered the keynote presentation before joining a distinguished lineup of experts from Children’s Mercy and beyond.
A highlight of the morning was the opening plenary session, How Did We Get Here, Where Will We Go?, featuring David Sutcliffe, MD, Will Gibson, MD, Ryan Fischer, MD, Amy Gallo, MD, and Judith VanSickle, MD. The discussion explored the progress made in transplantation and opportunities for future innovation and growth.
Attendees also participated in a multidisciplinary panel discussion, Navigating Life After Transplant: Building Seamless Transitions Together, which brought together nurses, social workers, physicians and a transplant patient to discuss the critical role of coordinated care as patients transition from pediatric to adult services. The session highlighted the value of teamwork and partnership in supporting patients throughout their transplant journey. Additional presentations examined the broader needs of transplant patients and families, including palliative care involvement in solid organ transplantation, the psychological effects of transplantation and approaches to goals-of-care conversations and symptom management.
The afternoon focused on organ donation and the powerful stories that inspire the transplant community. Lori Markham presented The Changing Landscapes of Donation, while Danica Stewart shared The Family Perspective of Organ Donation and Transplantation, offering attendees a deeper understanding of the lasting impact donation has on patients, families and care teams.
The inaugural symposium concluded with a social gathering that allowed attendees to continue conversations, build new professional relationships and strengthen existing collaborations. The Brendan Tripp Elam Transplant Center team hopes the connections made and ideas shared during the event will continue to advance transplant care and improve outcomes for patients and families across the region.
"Being a part of the inaugural Transplant Symposium was an honor! We have been planning for this for more than two years and to see it come to fruition was great. We were able to reach multiple organ teams and multidisciplinary staff throughout the hospital. In the future, I think we would love to expand our regional reach and hope to continue to grow the symposium bigger and better each year. I am so proud of the work we did and am honored to be on the planning committee " said Katelyn Walser, RN, BSN, CPN, CCTC.
As the Brendan Tripp Elam Transplant Center and Midwest Transplant Network look ahead, the success of the inaugural event demonstrated the value of bringing together experts from across disciplines to share knowledge, learn from one another and further a shared commitment to the transplant community.