Transplant Services Save Lives at UC Medical Center

For nearly 50 years, UC Health and the University of Cincinnati have been providing hope to transplant patients such as Cathy Caldwell, David Waits and thousands of others.

We are proud to help share their stories in conjunction with the 50^th anniversary of the first organ transplant performed at University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

On Dec. 11, 1967, a 36-year-old Cincinnati police officer named Ernest P. Harper made local medical history when he received a kidney from his sister, Elizabeth, in the first transplant operation at UC Medical Center. The then-experimental procedure was performed by Dr. J. Wesley Alexander, who pioneered transplantation in Cincinnati. Mr. Harper lived for 32 years with his donated kidney.

Today, our world-renowned transplant surgeons perform heart, kidney, pancreas and liver transplants for patients with complex conditions. As an academic health system, UC Health physicians provide direct patient care, teach the next generation, and conduct scientific research, which enables them to bring the latest treatments and knowledge to their clinical work.

For more information, please visit uchealth.com/transplant.

Now We Join in Celebration

Celebrate with us by sharing our stories of transplantation with your social media network using #UCHealthTransplant.