Improving Access to Organ Transplantation: Dr. Leigh Anne Dageforde's Mission

Dr. Leigh Anne Dageforde, MD, MPH, a Kentucky native, is a passionate transplant surgeon who is dedicated to making organ transplantation more accessible to all patients.??She leads the novel robot-assisted living donor nephrectomy program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Transplant Center.??Robotic assistance has many benefits, including:

·???????Enhanced three-dimensional visualization of the kidney and surgical area

·???????More precise movements resulting in less tissue trauma and manipulation

·???????Potential for shorter hospital stays (one night vs two), depending on the donor’s post-operative course

·???????Decreased levels of pain and discomfort following surgery

·???????Potential for quicker recovery

In addition to Robotic Surgery at Mass General another innovative program is the Mass General Equity in Kidney Transplantation (EqKT) Initiative which speaks to Dr. Dageforde's goal of increasing access to transplantation, especially to historically disadvantaged populations.

While she cites her father, Dr. David Dageforde, an interventional cardiologist, as the inspiration for her career in medicine and service, Dr. Dageforde points to her mother as the heart and drive behind that decision.??From a young age, she recalls her mother’s affirming words about her future, “you can be anything you want to be.”??An annual tradition, Dr. Dageforde would join her father’s hospital rounds on Christmas Day to share homemade chocolate chip banana bread with patients.??These experiences stayed with Dr. Dageforde and is evident in the work she does!??They also explain her favorite quote:?

There is a loftier ambition than merely to stand high in the world. It is to stoop down and lift mankind a little higher.

~ Henry van Dyke

Dr. David Dageforde?also introduced her to travel!??Having joined her father on medical mission trips to Ethiopia, Dr. Dageforde learned how to be of service to communities in need, but she also experienced a new culture.?She was bit by the travel bug!??Dr. Dageforde would join her father on these recurring trips including a trip during her surgical residency.??She fondly reflects on her time in Ethiopia as one of her favorite places.??Now, Dr. Dageforde enjoys traveling throughout the United States, visiting national parks, and the beaches of Charleston.

These days, Dr. Dageforde’s free time consists of preparing for/running marathons alongside her Vizsla Hungarian hunting dog, Corbet;?spending time with her growing family, and creating heart-warming memories, like those of her own childhood; and caring for her orchids!

Who is Dr. Leigh Anne Dageforde???An avid marathon-runner.??A dog-lover.??A new mom and wife.??A traveler.??A budding horticulturist.??An organ transplant surgeon at Mass General Transplant Center.??The most rewarding aspect of her surgical role is the opportunity to work with kind and motivated organ donors who, we can all agree, are the true heroes!

#donatelife #kidneytransplantation #chronickidneydisease