Inspiring Kidney Disease Patients to Proactively Secure a Kidney Transplant
BEFORE They Need Dialysis By Searching for Living Kidney Donors.
TransplantFirst’s Mission & Purpose
TransplantFirst Academy’s mission is to educate and inspire kidney disease patients (who could benefit from a kidney transplant) to proactively seek a preemptive kidney transplant before they require dialysis. We also give hope to those already on dialysis, by helping them learn how to share their story and build a team who can help them find a living kidney donor who can end their transplant wait.
Transplant shouldn’t be introduced while patients are on the ledge of requiring dialysis in order to survive. Nor should it be a herculean effort to get a transplant! Preemptive transplant options must be introduced as the best option in earlier stages of disease. Not as an afterthought.
Our hope is to empower kidney patient outcomes by removing the stifling haze hovering over proactive self-advocacy. We stand strong on the patient’s right to know their best option and their ability to voice their choice so they can live their best life possible.
Who We Serve
TransplantFirst Academy’s target audience includes kidney disease patients and their loved ones, healthcare providers, transplant centers, social workers, nurse coordinators, dialysis units, and end stage renal disease (ESRD) networks that support early transplant referrals and both preemptive and non-preemptive, living kidney donor transplants. We also support kidney patient organizations and divisions of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that oversee kidney patient education while also inspiring kidney care providers.
The Patient Comes First!
Our engagement platforms are rooted in patient-centered education and patient engagement first and foremost—without exception. Our Goal is Simple: We encourage kidney patients to become their own best advocate and work a strategic plan to achieve their best life possible.
We provide information and inspiration beyond the confines of a nephrologists exam room. While we do not provide medical advice, we do provide a platform full of proactive “feel-good” patient education and engagement.
Hello website visitors! Welcome to TransplantFirst Academy. My name is Risa Simon. I’m the founder of TransplantFirst Academy. I’m on a mission to empower my fellow kidney patients by inspiring them to proactively fight for a better quality of life. The life I now live. This is what I want for you!What ignites my passion? My personal calling to fix our kidney patient community’s broken patient engagement system. I know firsthand how patient education models lack proactive engagement and encouragement. From delayed treatment discussions to over saturated dialysis education to fistula-first campaigns—the vast majority of kidney patients are being robbed of their best chance to secure their best options: A preemptive kidney transplant.
TransplantFirst Academy was created to positively disrupt patient engagement for the lion share of kidney disease patients who could benefit from a preemptive transplant (before they required dialysis).
I know the life-changing power behind proactive patient engagement. I used my own fear as a powerful motivator and magical superpower to push myself to explore beyond the sacred walls of those medical exam rooms. This is where I uncovered a whole new world of possibility. A world where one could bypass dialysis. A world full of hope and second chances. A world I and a majority of kidney patient never knew existed.
While I greatly benefited from these discoveries, I remained deeply troubled that a proactive path was rarely encouraged by kidney patient providers. This reality compelled me to pump up the volume and expand preemptive opportunities through Transplant-First initiatives.
Fortunately, these discoveries snapped me out of my nephrologist’s hypnotic trance who kept telling me, “Don’t worry. You’ve got time.” Hogwash! The clock is ticking and every seconds counts. Being proactive is key!
Today you’ll find me and my team marching full-steam-ahead, as we lead the way for all kidney disease patients with educational tools and recourses, inspirational videos, and our revolutionary mobile app available at: TransplantStrong.com, TransplantFirst Academy, and our “Donor Seeker” mobile app (Apple & Android),
