March 4, 2019
By uclahealth 
“It all started with a cough,” says Carlos Garcia, who came to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on the recommendation of his cardiologist in 2009. “They told me my heart was very weak and starting to stop. I had a pacemaker put in in 2012, but I still would need a heart transplant. I was […]
Tags: cardiologist, cough, featured, heart transplant, pacemaker, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
March 4, 2019
By uclahealth
“I never thought I would be able to ride dirt bikes or BMX again,” says 22-year-old Casey Child, who came in to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center thinking he had the flu. “I was diagnosed with giant cell myocarditis, which is a rare autoimmune disease. I was on the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine for […]
Tags: autoimmune disease, ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, featured, giant cell myocarditis, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, surgery, transplant, transplant surgery, ventricular assist devices
February 28, 2019
UCLA Pediatric Heart Surgery Team Innovates Superior Care
By uclahealth
There was a time Glen Van Arsdell, MD, director of pediatric cardiac surgery at UCLA Health, wanted to be a fireman or a chicken farmer. Those were unusual choices for a boy who spent his formative years in Thailand with parents who were medical missionaries. His father, a surgeon by training, provided his patients with […]
Tags: cardiologist, Children's Heart Center, congenital heart disease, featured, Glen Van Arsdell MD, Heart Month, pediatric cardiology
January 9, 2019
By Mike O 
Thank you Dr Busuttil and the UCLA Liver Transplant Team! Celebrating 25 years today!
Tags: Dr. Ronald Busuttil, featured, liver transplant, patient stories
January 2, 2019
Triple Transplant, Triple Kidneys
By uclahealth
“I have three kidneys,” says Wayne Darrington, a heart, lung and kidney transplant patient from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. “I feel so grateful and blessed to be alive and thriving. I had amyloidosis (a buildup of amyloid proteins in organs), which affects about 50,000 people worldwide. In my case it started attacking my lungs […]
Tags: amyloidosis, congestive heart failure, featured, heart transplant, kidney transplant, lung transplant, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
January 2, 2019
By uclahealth
“Having heart disease is not easy, and finding out the only cure is a heart transplant is really difficult,” says 24-year-old Iris Franco, who received a heart transplant at 16 years old at UCLA Health. “My younger sister became ill when she was 10 years old. They discovered she suffered from restrictive cardiomyopathy, and they […]
Tags: featured, heart disease, heart transplant, restrictive cardiomyopathy
December 21, 2018
By MattWF
As a junior in college, I was diagnosed with full kidney failure in 2007, and went on peritoneal dialysis in 2008 (my first choice). After a major peritonitis in 2010, I had to transfer to in-center hemodialysis. After transferring clinics a few times and moving, I was offered home hemodialysis with NxStage, with was much […]
Tags: donor kidney, home hemodialysis, hyperparathyroidism, in-center hemodialysis, kidney failure, parathyroid hormone levels, parathyroidectomy, patient stories, peritoneal dialysis, peritonitis, surgery
December 17, 2018
Heart, lung transplant recipients and families gather to celebrate gift of life
By Amy Albin 
Sean Keoni Craig never could have imagined he would be a guest at the UCLA Heart and Lung Transplant holiday party held in early December. After all, it was only in September that the Hawaii resident traveled to California to celebrate his 52nd birthday at Disneyland. Before he made it to the amusement park, however, […]
Tags: Dr. Abbas Ardehali, Dr. Joseph Lynch III, heart and lung transplantation, heart transplant, lung transplant, organ donor
August 16, 2018
Coming up to my 1 year Birthday for my new lungs.
By 4Pritch
In Oct. of 2017, I had a dual lung transplant at UCLA/ Ronald Reagen Medical Center
Tags: dual lung transplant, featured, ICU, lung transplant, patient stories, pulmonologist, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, support group
August 15, 2018
Glad I was referred to Dr. Livhits
By Lulu
In 2009 I was told I had hyperthyroidism and began taking meds. Then in December 2011 I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. By March 2012 I was in remission. I had heart palpitations and tremors but nothing was offered to me but medications. In January 2016 I was told I had acute myloid leukemia. I […]
Tags: acute myloid leukemia, Anxiety, bone marrow transplant, cancer, Dr. Ines Donangelo, Dr. Masha Livhits, endocrinology, goiter, heart palpitations, hyperthyroidism, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, patient stories
