Lexington, Kentucky. (25 June 2025) – UK Healthcare recently opened Donor Care Devices (DCUs), a dedicated space for care for patients who give life gifts through organ donation. The unit and its designated care team will promote the relocation of these patients from other federal hospitals to the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital in Lexington, whilst continuing to support families throughout the organ recovery process. The UK Healthcare DCU is the first dedicated unit for patients who have agreed to donate organs in Kentucky.
“At UK healthcare, we recognize the emotional weight of our organ donation journey,” said Kevin Hutton, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Chandler Hospital, UK. “In the Donor Care Unit, not only will we ensure that donors get the dignity they deserve, but families will also find a network of support from hospitalization and complex clinical care to organ recovery and aftercare.”
In 2024, UK Healthcare supported 74 families through the process of preparing loved ones for organ recovery for transplants, along with hope for Kentucky's regional organ sourcing organization network. This unit will allow you to spend time with your family and receive ongoing support from Hope's network of family support coordinators through assessment, organ recovery and aftercare. Patient care in a dedicated unit also ensures organ support, leading to better outcomes for organ recipients. By encouraging patients relocation from community hospitals to Chandler hospitals, families can predict continuity of care and communication throughout their stay. Dedicated teams with special training to care for brain dead patients will be available 24 hours a day.
“We're looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said Barry Massa, CEO of Network for Hope. “Using DCU in such a central location within Kentucky will save and be respected through organ donation.”
Up to 8 lives can be saved by a single organ donor, and up to 75 people can be cured with donated organizations. Over 1,000 Kentucky is waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Coordination from hospitals across the state and transfer of patients to Chandler Hospital will allow more patients to be evaluated, leading to more organ recovery and more opportunities for Kentucky waiting for organ transplants.
Every eight minutes, someone is added to the waiting list. Thirteen people die every day waiting for an organ transplant. Please join the organ donation details and registry.
