Congratulations to the Universty of Nevada School of Medicine (UNSOM).  UNSOM was the most recent school awarded the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series (CCELS) by the Colby Foundation.  The CCELS award funds permanent placement of education about organ, eye, and tissue donation in the medical school's curriculum.

The CCELS is a holistic learning experience for medical students, faculty, and staff.  All aspects of organ, eye, and tissue donation are presented by professionals working in the field and by individual donors, their families, or transplant recipients. 

Speakers at UNSOM's first CCELS included a clinician who explored transplantation medicine and a representative from the regional Organ Procurement Agency who reviewed the process and logistics of organ donation.  Individual donors, their family members, or a transplant recipient often share the patient/family perspective.  And, Colby Foundation founder and trustee (and mother of our foundation's namesake), Starla Cassani, shared her own family's experience of organ donation in recounting Colby's story and the establishment of the Colby Foundation.

The Colby Foundation sincerely thanks the following presenters:

• Dr. Thomas Schwenk - Dean of University of Nevada School of Medicine, Vice President of Division of Health Sciences
• Virginia Reese - California Transplant Donor Network Organ Procurement Officer
• Dr. Lisa Calvo - Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine
• Dr. Nikole Neidlinger - Transplant Surgeon and Medical Director of California Transplant Donor Network

also Dr. Tim Baker, Christina Sarman, and all of those who have worked behind the scenes to ensure the success of the lectureship.

Over 5000 future physicians, faculty, and staff have already attended a CCELS funded by the non-profit Colby Foundation.  Our work to educate continues thanks to the generosity of the Colby Foundation's contributors!  Together, we are accomplishing our mission to educate nationally.