DEERFIELD, Ill., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Astellas Pharma US, Inc. has announced the winners of the first annual Astellas Transplant Scholars Awards, $5,000 educational scholarships awarded to six transplant recipients. Entrants were asked to write an essay about how transplant affected their education plans, and how they would like to honor the gift of life they received by pursuing further education and giving back to the transplant community.
This year's inaugural contest received a large volume of entries. Due to the exceptional quality of each, this year's contest awarded six winners rather than five. A panel of judges selected the following winners based on the inspiring nature of their stories and how they plan to use their education to benefit the community:
Brianne Catarozoli, liver transplant recipient from Eagle, WI
In March 2009, Brianne Catarozoli was diagnosed with a rare liver disease, and though she had been a seemingly healthy college student, her condition quickly deteriorated until she was in danger of losing her life. Fortunately, on April 7, Brianne received a lifesaving liver transplant. Because she almost lost her dream of becoming a teacher, Brianne is now even more determined to achieve her dream and complete her degree. As a teaching professional, she plans to share her story and educate families on the importance of organ donation and the miracle of transplantation.
Patrice Fisher, heart and kidney transplant recipient from Southaven, MS
Patrice Fisher was pursuing a bachelor's degree in political science when she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and end-stage renal disease. Thankfully, she received a heart and kidney transplant in September 2008. Patrice's second chance at life inspired her to change her educational path and she will soon begin a nursing program to become an advanced practice nurse specializing in cardiology/nephrology for transplant recipients.
Douglas Lampert, Jr., liver transplant recipient from St. Louis, MO
Douglas Lampert, Jr. received a liver transplant when he was only nine months old, and since then, he has dedicated his life to raising awareness about the importance of organ donation. As a child, he participated in the Transplant Olympics in Japan, where he was able to share his story with people from all over the world. This experience helped drive Douglas' interest in learning languages so that he could share his story even more broadly. As a college student, Douglas is currently studying French and German alongside his primary degree of psychology. He hopes to work in a hospital and apply his psychology degree to helping families through the process of organ donation and transplantation.
About Astellas
Astellas is a recognized leader in transplantation and has been committed to the field of immunology for more than 20 years. Dedicated to supporting the advancement of care for patients, Astellas continues to build upon its legacy and leadership in transplantation by investing in ongoing clinical research and new product development.
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