More than 300 gather for annual transplant reunion

Patricia Elliott, a 73-year-old who received a liver and kidney transplant four years ago, had the audience in stitches after she playfully unfurled a long stream of note cards at the beginning of her talk at the event.

A retired first-grade teacher, a tech executive, a country singer – these were just a few of the 329 transplant recipients and family members who attended UT Southwestern’s recent transplant reunion dinner.

Heart-liver transplant recipient and country singer Andrea Kay Joyner expressed her gratitude in song at the UTSW transplant reunion dinner.

Heart-liver transplant patient Andrea Kay Joyner, a country musician from Wills Point, Texas, performed for the crowd, singing a song she wrote in remembrance of her grandfather.

She was almost upstaged by Patricia Elliott, a 73-year-old retired first-grade teacher who began her talk by theatrically unfurling a 6-foot-long train of notecards as laughter erupted from the audience at her threat of a very long talk.

Lung transplant patient Robert Collier, of Highland Village, and his wife Jeannetta spoke of the pressures placed on family members as they care for loved ones recovering from a transplant.

Dr. Parsia Vagefi, UT Southwestern’s new Chief of the Division of Surgical Transplantation, introduced himself to the crowd. Dr. Vagefi joined UTSW earlier this year from Harvard Medical School, where he was Associate Professor of Surgery, and Massachusetts General Hospital, where he served as Director of Liver Transplantation.

Dr. Vagefi said he knew he wanted to come to Texas after meeting the physicians and nurses at UT Southwestern and witnessing their commitment and expertise. “This is a great place to be,” he said.

At the April event, held during National Donate Life Month, many spoke of the gratitude they felt for being alive.

“I have my coffee every morning and play with my dog and see the squirrels outside. And I don’t take any of it for granted,” Ms. Joyner said. “It could have all been taken away.”

Dr. Mark Drazner, Clinical Chief of Cardiology and Medical Director of the LVAD and Cardiac Transplantation Program, told of the milestones reached in UTSW’s transplant program, and the patients given a new chance at life over the years – not just by the surgeons, but by the often-anonymous donors whose last acts were to give an organ to a stranger who needed it to survive.

“I think all of those in this room realize how lucky they are to be here,” he said.

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Dr. Drazner holds the James M. Wooten Chair in Cardiology.

Dr. Jorge Marrero, UTSW Medical Director of Liver Transplantation, with liver-kidney transplant patient Patricia Elliott.

UT Southwestern’s new Chief of the Division of Surgical Transplantation, Dr. Parsia Vagefi, introduces himself to those attending the reunion dinner.