HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – The transplant services team at UPMC Harrisburg did six kidney transplants in seven days.

One transplant was planned in advance, the other five came from deceased donors.

“People who are organ donors really save lives,” said UPMC Surgeon Dr. Danielle Ladie.

Dr. Danielle Ladie who led most of the transplants says it’s an uncommon number of transplant surgeries due to the lack of donated organs available in the Region and even Nationwide.

“It’s pretty rare for our program,” said Dr. Ladie.

One patient was Harrisburg resident Latisha Littles. She was diagnosed with kidney disease when she was 28 years old.

At the time, Littles was not eligible for a kidney transplant due to various underlying health issues.

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“I found out that my kidney was failing due to me having lupus,” said Littles.

After 14 years of being on dialysis, on August 9^th, 2023, Littles received the call she had been waiting for. She was getting a kidney.

“All I could do was just scream and say, Wow, this really happened, you know? And I’m sitting in the car with my cousin and my nephew and they looking at me. Like, what are you screaming for? Because I’m on the phone with them and they’re looking at me like, what is wrong with you? And I’m like, I got a kidney,” said Littles.

And since surgery, Littles says she’s doing well.

“I’m healthy, my blood work and stuff is really good,” said Littles.

But Littles says it’s not lost on her that someone had to lose their life to give her a second chance.

“I know their family had to lose a loved one to save my life. And whoever their family is. And if their family is, you know, watching this interview and they know that I’m the one that, you know, was able to live my life through their families giving. I just have to say thank you so much.”

The UPMC Harrisburg transplant team did 61 transplant surgeries in 2023.

According to Health Resources and Services Administration more than 100,000 men, women, and children are on the national transplant waiting list. It also says 17 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant.

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