Personal News: I am writing as a mother and living organ donor.
Twenty years ago this month, our youngest son Peter received a life-saving liver transplant at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh @ChildrensPgh
With Peter’s permission, I’m sharing a photo taken with his older brother a few weeks before his 2006 transplant, when he was in liver failure.
Four years later, he won gold at the U.S. Transplant Games in Madison, Wisconsin. And here he is today—healthy, strong, and thriving.
What I didn’t fully appreciate in 2006 was that Peter and I were part of pioneering research aimed at reducing the risk of organ rejection in pediatric patients.
Even though I donated a segment of my liver to Peter—and as mother and son we are genetically similar—the new testing protocol still helped lower his chances of rejection.
Peter and I participated in a research project that developed a simple blood test called Pleximmune @plexision
It predicts the likelihood of rejection in pediatric patients by analyzing the unique immune chemistry of both the child and the donor.
The test also helps doctors determine exactly how much immunosuppression a child needs to keep rejection at bay.
Our family knows firsthand how valuable this early warning system truly is.
When Peter hit his growth spurt in his early teens, like so many pediatric transplant recipients, he needed increased immunosuppression.
The Pleximmune test predicted this need months in advance, giving his doctors time to adjust his care before problems arose.
The threat of rejection is a cloud that hangs over every transplant patient and family.
This test is making a real difference. It helps prevent rejection and can save tens of thousands of dollars for families and insurance companies.
This is where common sense matters.
In early July, the research team is preparing an appeal to Medicare @MedicareGov to price the Pleximmune test "fairly and consistently" with similar diagnostic tests.
Right now, only a small percentage of the cost of the test for pediatric patients is being reimbursed.
As the team told me, “Fair pricing is the lifeblood of a company’s ability to provide patients with more informed care and continued innovation.”
Today, Pleximmune has been used to test roughly 10% of children under age 21 who have received liver or intestine transplants in the U.S.
If you want to support this important work and help more pediatric patients and their families benefit...
Send a note to your senator, let them know to escalate the matter with Medicare so the appeal gets a fair hearing.
Catherine
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@leobraseiro@LOLOLESALO@rolandgarros@atptour You do know I would be upset if the opposite had happened and Fonsecq was robbed a set. I am speaking of the integrity of the game from someone who had children that played tennis competitively. Dear lord dude.
@leobraseiro@rolandgarros@atptour I have no issue with Fonseca. My daughters were tennis players from a young age thru college. I know how hard these players work and they just want a fair and clean match. Take your low IQ shit somewhere else.
@rolandgarros You stole a set and quite possibly a match from Ruud. This tournament could possibly be the worst in professional sports. I turned the match off and won’t be watching the rest of the week. Get your shit together.