March 12 -13, 2009: LECOM's Erie Campus holds its first Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series

PRINT

In February, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Bradenton held the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series (CCELS) for the first time.  This month, LECOM Erie followed suit.  LECOM's two campuses join Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences as the only medical schools in the nation chosen by the Colby Foundation to provide organ donation and organ transplant education to the college’s students.

The requirements of the edowment include education about the scientific, medical, legal, and logistical aspects of organ donation and transplantation.  Addressing these were John J. Fung, MD, PhD, FACS chairman of the Departments of HPB/Transplant Surgery and General Surgery and Director of the Transplant Center at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio and Kurt Shutterly, RN, CPTC, Vice President of Clinical Operations with the Center for Organ Recovery and Education

In addition, the personal side of organ donation and trasplantation is addressed by a donor family or a recipient.  This year, the Colby Foundation's founder and trustee, Starla Cassani, shared her own family's journey from grief to hope in the loss of their beloved son Colby and the gift of life he gave to others through organ donation.

LECOM Erie also hosted its annual continuing medical education conference for practicing physicians.  The Colby Foundation expanded its reach in addressing these physician's as well.

The Colby Foundation welcomes contributions to continue its mission to educate others about organ and tissue donation and transplantation!