During the national anthem, two Stanford Medicine Children’s Health patients stood on the floor of Chase Center next to their favorite NBA players during the Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trailblazers game. The patient families were being celebrated as they all went through a transplant journey. In conjunction with African American Heritage Night at the game, the aim is to raise awareness for the importance of organ donation.
- Kitai Andrews, 7: Kitai received a life-saving liver transplant when he was 6 months old. His parents noticed his eyes were jaundiced. After a trip to the ER, he had surgery, and then was placed on a waiting list for a new liver. His mother, Maria, says this game is such an honor for Kitai, and provides a sense of normalcy for him.
- Darion Bryant, 15: Darion initially didn’t feel anything was wrong, but his liver failed to the point where he needed a transplant. In 2021, he received a donation. Now, he is looking forward to getting back to playing football and basketball.
With more than 25 years of experience performing pediatric transplants, the Stanford Children’s Transplant Center is the leader in combined heart-liver transplants and treat a growing number of children needing heart-kidney, heart-lung, multi-visceral, and liver-kidney transplants. In 2022, the center was #1 in the nation for kidney transplants and #2 in overall pediatric volumes in the nation.
