Transplanting skills, for life
Transplant Links Community (TLC) is a UK registered charity that provides hands on training and mentoring in kidney transplantation for healthcare professionals in low- and middle-income countries. TLC originally started in 2007 as a grassroots community comprised of a small group of healthcare professionals who used their annual leave to travel to share their skills with colleagues in LMICs. It is now an international organisation with a medical faculty of over 50 volunteer clinicians working collaboratively with a network of emerging transplant units all over the world. The aim is to assist in the development of sustainable, ethical living-donor transplant units so that more patients around the world can have access to this life saving treatment.
The first ever teaching mission to Ghana in 2007 was funded by TLC CEO/founder Jennie Jewitt-Harris’ father, Tony Jewitt. We’re proud to continue our work in his name.; he liked to make a difference.
Drawing on our years of experience, we create partnerships with emerging transplant units providing tailored support to meet the unique and specific needs based on available resources, context and culture.
Training is provided for all healthcare professionals involved in a transplant programme including surgeons, doctors, nurses, transplant coordinators and social workers. The type of support ranges from hands on surgical assistance (in situ), placements in the UK, long term support and assistance in developing the infrastructure needed to coordinate a transplant programme, online education in the form of videos, presentations, podcasts and seminars, the development of patient information materials and everything in between.
“We have seen the benefits. It is clear that patients who are transplanted feel better, live longer, and contribute to society. Let me recognise TLC. It has been great news for the patients and great news for us; it has been a great journey. We are eternally grateful for this. On behalf of the government and the people of Jamaica, we salute TLC for this initiative which you have bought and saving lives across the globe.”
— Dr Curtis Yeates, Consultant Nephrologist at Cornwall Regional Hospital, Jamaica