 Helen Chang-DeGuzman, M.D. |  Peter A. Burke Jr. DO, MBA |
The Origin of the Program
Prior to 2007, Delaware residents who needed a kidney transplant had to travel to neighboring states for their evaluation, surgery and follow-up care. The extensive travel required for a transplant was challenging for most patients and national data confirmed the high incidence of renal failure in Delaware. Therefore there the need to provide access to adult transplant services close to home was imperative.
In response to this need, Christiana Care Health System and Nephrology Associates established a kidney transplant program. Christiana Care is one of only 250 hospitals in the United States performing kidney transplants, and the only hospital in Delaware that performs adult kidney transplants. By offering the only adult kidney transplant program in Delaware, Christiana Care's experienced transplant team provides life-saving renal care close to home for residents of Delaware and the surrounding region.
What the Transplant Team Provides
A transplant is more than just a trip to the operating room. It consists of monitoring your progress long after you receive a new kidney. We take time to get to know you and your needs, both medical and personal. Our team includes not only surgeons and nurses who have 20 to 30 years of experience in the transplant field, but also a pharmacist, dietitian, social worker and transplant coordinators to guide you. We regard each transplant recipient as a family member, and our team is small enough to treat you that way. The convenient follow-up care that we offer will make your recovery easier, and in the months and years to come, you will enjoy your renewed health with the confidence that your health care team is nearby.
Helping you Find a Match
The Transplant Program, which performs about one to four transplants each is approved to provide transplant services to people receiving Medicare and to join the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). This network matches deceased organ donors with people who are in need of an organ transplant.
For more information regarding the Kidney Transplant program, go to http://www.christianacare.org/kidneytransplant