Dec 22, 2017, 15:56 PM by User Not Found

What the ASTS Foundation Means to Me

Why do I give to the ASTS Foundation? I guess because it is just what we do. Our profession is based on both giving and receiving. Each day in our lives we see donors and donor families give that cherished gift of life, either of themselves or their loved ones. We, as surgeons, also give and receive. We give of our skills, time, and talent. We may even give and share a bit of our heart and our passion. We also receive; throughout our career we receive teaching from our colleagues and mentors, the satisfaction of seeing patients do well, gratitude from families, and fulfillment from our work.
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I see the ASTS Foundation as another important way to give and receive in our world of transplantation.  When we give to the Foundation, so many people receive the benefit: patients, students, residents, fellows, junior faculty, and other members of our transplant teams. By giving to the ASTS Foundation, we support the mission of our Society and the education of future transplant professionals. We support increasing donation, making more organs available to more people, and surviving longer. We support innovative research and advancing the science of transplantation.

I started giving to the ASTS Foundation early in my career because I felt it was important to support the organization that helped give me support with training and grant support. I couldn’t give much, but it meant a lot to me. As I progressed in my career, I continued to give because I saw that small donations from many could provide so many rewards for even more members. This was particularly evident when I chaired the Awards Committee and saw the downstream results. And now, I give because I wish to continue to support the careers of those in our field who will be our future leaders.

We are so fortunate to do what we do. I hope you will join me in giving back to the Society from which you have received so much. It is the season of giving, so that more can receive those gifts, passing it on to the next generation.