Success Story: A Mother's Gift
During December 1998's season of giving, a Providence mother gave
the gift of life by donating a kidney to her 11-year-old son. The
procedure was the first pediatric kidney transplant in the state,
and marked an important expansion of the hospital’s transplant
program
"Recipients must undergo many pre-operative visits," says transplant
coordinator Bette Hopkins-Garcia, RN. "Our program allows them continuity of care in
the hospital that is most familiar to them."
By giving one of her own kidneys, Berrinia Smith spared her son, Adam, the trauma of
dialysis and the wait for an available organ. Although Adam will remain on anti-rejection
medication indefinitely, both mother and son are expected to make speedy recoveries.
The transplant team consisted of three
surgeons: Drs. Anthony Monaco, Peter Madras, and Paul Morrissey,
plus Hasbro Children Hospital’s Andrew Brem, MD, Rhode Island’s
only pediatric nephrologist; Reginald Gohh, MD, transplant nephrologist;
Hopkins-Garcia; Sharon Bertone, RN, transplant clinic nurse; plus
dieticians, nutritionists, clinical social workers and pharmacists.
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