National Foundation for Transplants Launches New Outreach Efforts

Memphis, Tenn., March 26, 2018 – National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) announced today that they are launching an assertive new outreach and fundraising model to increase funding for patients who cannot afford life-saving transplants.

NFT is a nonprofit organization. Contributions received by NFT are used to assist patients in overcoming financial hardships associated with organ transplantation. Often, the various costs associated with transplant surgeries make them cost prohibitive to even privately insured patients. The campaign is meant to highlight both the life-saving work provided by NFT and to raise awareness of the significant increase in demand in patients diagnosed with needing an organ transplant.

“Our long-term strategy is to double our current, yearly fundraising results,” said Michelle Gilchrist, President and CEO of NFT. “When our organization began 35 years ago, our goal was to help one patient at a time. With each patient participating in charity fundraising, we want to supplement their efforts through a national fund. Our vision is to be a national resource that patients call first when they are diagnosed as needing a transplant. By connecting with these patients early in the process, we help them understand the transplantation journey and navigate the financial challenges with the goal of giving them a second chance at life.  Our hope is the increase in funding will allow us the ability to help fund more living transplant donors, research related to transplantation and recipients who apply for assistance.  Our support does not stop after the organ transplant surgery, as we continue to help patients with the lifelong medical costs associated with the transplant.”

The tagline, The First Stop for a Second Chance, clearly reflects NFT’s mission – providing a second chance for patients who need an organ transplant. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, 114,997 patients currently need a lifesaving organ transplant. The pre-and post-surgery care, in addition to the surgery itself, is expensive. According to Milliman Research Report 2017, a heart transplant costs approximately $1,383,000. While insurance plays a role for many, transplants can be financially daunting for anyone and post-transplant, a patient faces a lifetime of medical costs.

NFT will begin an aggressive communications campaign in partnership with its transplant partners to broaden awareness of the organization and its work to support patients and their families through a very complicated and emotional process. A brand refresh including a new logo and website is a part of the effort.

“Our new logo symbolically evokes an angel offering hope and support to patients; resources come together through our work with our partners and medical professionals to make the patient whole again,” said Gilchrist, “and we want to ensure people who need this help know to contact us first.”

About NFT

NFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Memphis, Tenn. that has been helping transplant patients overcome financial obstacles since 1983. NFT provides fundraising expertise to transplant patients by organizing fundraising campaigns in the patients’ own communities. NFT’s fundraising campaigns have generated nearly $82 million to assist patients. NFT assists more than 2,500 transplant candidates and recipients nationwide. For more information about NFT, please call 800-489-3863 or visit www.transplants.org.