- December 06, 2018 Surgeons and clinicians truly are our partners in ensuring donated tissue is able to help patients heal. Our commitment to maximizing the possibilities of tissue is echoed in their tireless work to help recipients get back to an active lifestyle. We have had a long relationship with a surgical resident who has a unique perspective on allograft use because of her firsthand experience with donated tissue.
Rachel was a soccer player at the University of Illinois (my alma mater) when she began to experience knee pain. After several arthroscopic procedures, she met with Dr. Brian Cole at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Cole told Rachel she was a candidate for a meniscus transplant. Because donor meniscus tissue is matched based on the size of the recipient, Rachel was placed on a waiting list. Though she always had an interest in the medical field, being a patient sparked her passion even more. Three weeks before beginning medical school, Rachel got her match, her surgery and her return to an active lifestyle.
