Medical Conferences
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Pediatric Alliance
April 28 - 30, 2025
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SAWC- Spring
May 01 - 3, 2025
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American Cleft Palate Association (ACPA)
May 06 - 10, 2025
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SCALE Meeting
May 14 - 18, 2025
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Ohio Valley Society of Plastic Surgeons Meeting
May 15 - 17, 2025
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Courage. Gratitude. Hope.
These are just a few of the words that tissue recipients share with us on a regular basis. Although every story is unique, each provides a glimpse into the tremendous impact that the life-saving gift of tissue donation has on the healing journey.
Featured Stories
Alyssa Silva
At age sixteen, Alyssa Silva is like any other teen: she loves going to school, playing sports, and keeping up with her farm animals and younger siblings around the house. However, Alyssa's active lifestyle was threatened when her father's welding machine fell off a trailer while she was standing next to it, striking her ankle. Alyssa went to the hospital with a traumatic injury to her ankle and foot. While x-rays revealed that a nearby two-by-four had miraculously prevented Alyssa from breaking any bones or losing her foot entirely, the resulting scrape on her foot would worsen with time. "It was a very terrifying moment because we didn't know what to expect," Yeraldit, Alyssa's mother, said. "Then, a few days later, her foot started getting very red. It looked like an infection, and it had an unpleasant odor. So, we thought something was not right."
The following trips to the hospital revealed that Alyssa had an infected non-healing wound that was causing her severe pain and turning black. This prevented her from doing the things she loved like playing basketball, running cross-country or looking after her siblings. To save her foot, Dr Rene Amaya, a pediatric infectious disease and wound care specialist, explained that they would need to remove the dead tissue, negative pressure to the wound and administer a donor skin graft. Alyssa and her family were unfamiliar with tissue donation, but Dr. Amaya assured them of its' success.
In less than two months of receiving the skin graft, Alyssa, an aspiring veterinarian, was back on both feet and is now looking forward to showcasing her animals at the upcoming Texas rodeo. Thanks to her donor and the excellent medical care received, she returns to her life as a big sister, a sports enthusiast, and high school student. She is walking normally and has a full range of motion in her foot and ankle.
Alyssa and her family are grateful for the gift of donation and show great respect for those involved in the process. "I’m very pleased with how things turned out,” Alyssa exclaimed. “We’re blessed to have been able to save her foot,” her mother added. “It’s something that we’ll never forget and is now a part of our lives. If anyone would ever need tissue, I would want to help them, just like someone gave to help my daughter.”
Alyssa Silva
At age sixteen, Alyssa Silva is like any other teen: she loves going to school, playing sports, and keeping up with her farm animals and younger siblings around the house. However, Alyssa's active lifestyle was threatened when her father's welding machine fell off a trailer while she was standing next to it, striking her ankle. Alyssa went to the hospital with a traumatic injury to her ankle and foot. While x-rays revealed that a nearby two-by-four had miraculously prevented Alyssa from breaking any bones or losing her foot entirely, the resulting scrape on her foot would worsen with time. "It was a very terrifying moment because we didn't know what to expect," Yeraldit, Alyssa's mother, said. "Then, a few days later, her foot started getting very red. It looked like an infection, and it had an unpleasant odor. So, we thought something was not right."
The following trips to the hospital revealed that Alyssa had an infected non-healing wound that was causing her severe pain and turning black. This prevented her from doing the things she loved like playing basketball, running cross-country or looking after her siblings. To save her foot, Dr Rene Amaya, a pediatric infectious disease and wound care specialist, explained that they would need to remove the dead tissue, negative pressure to the wound and administer a donor skin graft. Alyssa and her family were unfamiliar with tissue donation, but Dr. Amaya assured them of its' success.
In less than two months of receiving the skin graft, Alyssa, an aspiring veterinarian, was back on both feet and is now looking forward to showcasing her animals at the upcoming Texas rodeo. Thanks to her donor and the excellent medical care received, she returns to her life as a big sister, a sports enthusiast, and high school student. She is walking normally and has a full range of motion in her foot and ankle.
Alyssa and her family are grateful for the gift of donation and show great respect for those involved in the process. "I’m very pleased with how things turned out,” Alyssa exclaimed. “We’re blessed to have been able to save her foot,” her mother added. “It’s something that we’ll never forget and is now a part of our lives. If anyone would ever need tissue, I would want to help them, just like someone gave to help my daughter.”
Alyssa Silva
At age sixteen, Alyssa Silva is like any other teen: she loves going to school, playing sports, and keeping up with her farm animals and younger siblings around the house. However, Alyssa's active lifestyle was threatened when her father's welding machine fell off a trailer while she was standing next to it, striking her ankle. Alyssa went to the hospital with a traumatic injury to her ankle and foot. While x-rays revealed that a nearby two-by-four had miraculously prevented Alyssa from breaking any bones or losing her foot entirely, the resulting scrape on her foot would worsen with time. "It was a very terrifying moment because we didn't know what to expect," Yeraldit, Alyssa's mother, said. "Then, a few days later, her foot started getting very red. It looked like an infection, and it had an unpleasant odor. So, we thought something was not right."
The following trips to the hospital revealed that Alyssa had an infected non-healing wound that was causing her severe pain and turning black. This prevented her from doing the things she loved like playing basketball, running cross-country or looking after her siblings. To save her foot, Dr Rene Amaya, a pediatric infectious disease and wound care specialist, explained that they would need to remove the dead tissue, negative pressure to the wound and administer a donor skin graft. Alyssa and her family were unfamiliar with tissue donation, but Dr. Amaya assured them of its' success.
In less than two months of receiving the skin graft, Alyssa, an aspiring veterinarian, was back on both feet and is now looking forward to showcasing her animals at the upcoming Texas rodeo. Thanks to her donor and the excellent medical care received, she returns to her life as a big sister, a sports enthusiast, and high school student. She is walking normally and has a full range of motion in her foot and ankle.
Alyssa and her family are grateful for the gift of donation and show great respect for those involved in the process. "I’m very pleased with how things turned out,” Alyssa exclaimed. “We’re blessed to have been able to save her foot,” her mother added. “It’s something that we’ll never forget and is now a part of our lives. If anyone would ever need tissue, I would want to help them, just like someone gave to help my daughter.”
MTF Biologics is a registered trademark of the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation.
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