Transplant Talks
In Transplant Talks, psychiatrist and living liver donor, Rachel Davis, MD, collaborates with Anastasia Henry, Executive Director of the American Transplant Foundation to interview living donors, healthcare experts, and transplant recipients to bring you stories of courage, hope, and innovation in the world of organ transplantation.
If you're interested in sponsoring the Transplant Talks podcast, please reach out to support@americantransplantfoundation.org
Recent Episodes
22
June 29, 2026
Transplantation: The Most Transformative Therapy in Medicine
- with Drs. Pedro Catarino and Dominick Megna @cedarssinai What is it like to care for patients with end-stage heart and lung disease - and then watch them get a second chance at life? In this episode of Transplant Talks, we sit down with Dr. Pedro Catarino, Director of Aortic Surgery at Cedars-Sinai, and Dr. Dominick Megna, Surgical Director of Lung Transplantation. We discuss what drew them to transplant surgery, the unique culture and camaraderie of transplant teams, and why many consid
21
May 10, 2026
Julia Renz: Two Hearts, Three Lives
What does it mean to truly live? For Julia Renz, that question has never been abstract. A two-time heart transplant recipient, Julia received her first transplant at just four years old after being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a rare condition affecting roughly 8 in 100,000 infants. Despite the weight of that diagnosis, she spent her childhood doing what kids do: dancing, playing baseball, shooting hoops, and living fully. But at 17, her body began rejecting her transplanted heart. Fo
20
May 7, 2026
Julia Renz: Two Hearts, Three Lives
What does it mean to truly live? For Julia Renz, that question has never been abstract. A two-time heart transplant recipient, Julia received her first transplant at just four years old after being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a rare condition affecting roughly 8 in 100,000 infants. Despite the weight of that diagnosis, she spent her childhood doing what kids do: dancing, playing baseball, shooting hoops, and living fully. But at 17, her body began rejecting her transplanted heart. Fo
19
March 25, 2026
"Donating didn't fill a hole, it expanded the real estate" | Abundant
🎙️In this episode, we talk about the documentary Abundant and the idea of what it really means to live from a place of generosity instead of scarcity. 💚 I’m joined by Laura Diaz Moore, a living kidney donor who made a major career shift from law to working as a mountain host in Park City, and Donald Griswold, the director of the film. To make the documentary, they put out a call on social media and heard from nearly 80 people willing to share their stories. From there, they selected participant
18
March 1, 2026
TELL - Transplant Access in South Africa with Stella de Kock
🎙️At 35, Stell de Kock was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease. Her only symptom at the time was a sore foot. She has now been on dialysis three times a week for 14 years and has spent 13 years on the transplant waitlist. Stell is the Managing Director of Transplant Education for Living Legacies (TELL) in South Africa. In this conversation, she shares what it’s like to live long-term on dialysis while leading national advocacy efforts to improve access to transplantation. We discuss how o
17
Jan. 16, 2026
Kids 4 Kidneys: A Teacher and His Transplant Journey
Andrew Menard is a retired fourth-grade teacher who inherited polycystic kidney disease from his father. After witnessing the physical and emotional toll of dialysis on his dad, Andrew made a deliberate choice: he would begin looking for a living kidney donor before needing dialysis. Along the way, Andrew received support from many directions. His fourth-grade students and their families became part of the journey through Kids 4 Kidneys, a community-driven effort that helped raise awareness and
About the Hosts
Rachel A. Davis, MD
Psychiatrist / Living Liver Donor / 1 + 1= LIFE mentor
Rachel Davis is a psychiatrist, living liver donor, and dedicated 1 + 1= LIFE mentor with the American Transplant Foundation. In January 2022, she made the decision to donate the right lobe of her liver to a stranger—who has since become a cherished part of her life. As an associate professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs and Strategy at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, she leads initiatives that focus on mental health for physicians and health professionals, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and cutting-edge treatments like deep brain stimulation for OCD. Outside of her professional life, Rachel is an animal lover who shares her home with four small dogs, a cat, and three birds.
Anastasia Henry
Executive Director / Transplant Advocate / Mom
Anastasia is a woman with a passion for breaking down barriers and saving lives. As the Executive Director of the American Transplant Foundation, Anastasia believes no one should die waiting for a lifesaving transplant... And no on should go through the transplant process alone. Get ready for a journey with a woman who fights for transplant patients by day and embraces the beautiful chaos of motherhood by night. Oh, and did we mention the Eastern European humor? Except the unexpected. This is one transplant advocate you won't forget.