EARLIER HISTORY
December 2009: LMU-DCOM becomes the fourth school and sixth campus awarded the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series. LMU joins OSU-CHS, PNWU-COM, and LECOM's Erie, Bradenton, and Greensburg campuses in receiving this prestigious award Read more
December 2009: Our Trustees, the Cassanis announce our Annual Annual Fundraiser and Holiday Appeal.
November 2009: The Colby Foundation is pleased to announce award of its endowment to two additional schools of medicine! Soon the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series will ensure education about organ and tissue donation is part of the curriculum at Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences - College of Osteopathic Medicine. Stay tuned for dates and details.
LMU-DCOM opened its doors in 2007 as both Tennessee’s newest medical school and only osteopathic medical school. Located in Harrogate, Tennessee, its main mission is to serve the underserved of rural Appalachia with educational opportunities.
PNWU-COM opened its doors in 2008 and trains 75 new primary care physicians each year. Located in Yakima, Washington the medical school is devoted to training future doctors who will serve the needs of those living in the non-urban communities and rural areas of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
June 2009: The Colby Foundation is now on facebook. Visit us there, become a "fan", and let us know your thoughts about and experiences with organ donation and transplantation!
April 2009: Medical Students at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) have renamed their annual 10K fundraiser to honor Colby and the recipient of Colby's heart, Brayden. Students attend the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series during years one and two of their medical school curriculum. Inspired by Colby's story, students chose to rename their fundraiser to honor Colby's memory as well as Brayden, whose life was saved when Colby's heart was donated.
March 2009: LECOM Erie joins its Bradenton campus in hosting the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series. In addition to medical students, practicing physisians attending LECOM's annual continuing medical education conference listened to the lecutreship in March 2009. Read more
February 2009: LECOM Bradenton holds its first Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series in February 2009. Read more
October 2008: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) will present for the academic year 2008-2009 its first Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series (CCELS) at two of its three campuses. On February 13 and 14, the CCELS will take place at its Bradenton, Florida campus. On March 12th and 13th, the CCELS will take place at its Erie, Pennsylvania campus. Please check back for more details.
July 2008: The Colby Foundation announces award of its endowment. LECOM (Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine) will receive the foundation's endowment to support the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series at each of its three locations – in Erie, PA, Bradenton, FL, and Greensburg, PA. Read more
June 2007: Colby’s heart recipient is thriving fourteen years after his heart transplant. Brayden’s family recently celebrated the news that his latest heart biopsy shows no sign of rejection. Many organ recipients must take several anti-rejection medications to ensure the body does not reject the organ. Brayden’s family are thrilled to report that, because he is doing so well, he requires just one anti-rejection medication. In addition, Brayden’s regularly scheduled biopsies will not be needed annually. He is approved to wait three years until the next evaluation. Read Brayden's story.
Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine received a four thousand dollar endowment from the Colby Foundation for the eighth year. For the 2007 – 2008 academic year, the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series will take place in the spring. OSU COM is the first school to have received the Colby Foundation’s endowment. The Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series 2006 at Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine: Colby Foundation Trustee, Starla Cassani; and LifeShare Oklahoma representative, Stephanie Bagley, brought Colby's story and the state of organ and tissue donation in our nation to medical students. Read more
Advocates for the American Osteopathic Association highlight the work of the Colby Foundation. Read more
“Intestinal transplants will now be subject to the same rules for reporting, tracking and allocation currently in place for other transplantable organs…Intestinal transplantation – which may include the esophagus, stomach, small or large intestine, or any portion of the gastrointestinal tract – is considered for patients with irreversible intestinal failure due to surgery, trauma, or acquired or congenital disease that cannot be managed through the intravenous delivery of nutrients, also referred to as total parenteral nutrition…” Read more
