National Foundation for Transplants

NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR TRANSPLANTS

MISSION & HISTORY

• providing fundraising expertise and advocacy,
• promoting organ and tissue donation,
• and supporting innovative solutions for lifesaving treatment.

NFT was established in 1983, in Memphis, TN. Originally named the Liver Organ Transplant Fund, the organization was founded by three caring and compassionate women after they read about a young girl who needed a liver transplant but could not afford the procedure. These women - Mary Clouse, Liz Hull and Elise Waldheim - worked hard to raise funds for the transplant and related expenses, and their tireless dedication contributed to the patient's successful transplant.

Other transplant candidates soon began contacting the organization for assistance, and it became evident that transplant candidates across the country would benefit from such an organization. The organization name was changed to Organ Transplant Fund to reflect the many different types of transplants represented.

In 1998, the board of directors voted to change the name to the National Foundation for Transplants to better convey the organization´s national reach and to clearly include patients needing tissue, bone marrow or other transplants.

What began as a local endeavor has evolved into an organization benefiting thousands of organ and tissue transplant candidates and recipients. NFT's fundraising campaigns have generated nearly $81 million to assist patients during their transplant journey, and NFT assists more than 4,000 patients annually.

In 2015, we began offering fundraising assistance and services to living donors.