UCSF Children's Hospital to honor transplant patients at picnic

WHAT:

UCSF Children’s Hospital will celebrate children and their families at the 13th annual Pediatric Transplant Picnic. Attending will be children – from infants to teens – who have had kidney, liver or intestinal transplants, children who are awaiting transplants, their families and their organ donors. The theme of this year’s picnic is “Under the Sea,” featuring a costume contest, music, dancing, face painting, kayaking, and piñatas. Some 250 attendees from the Bay Area and throughout the country are expected to attend.

WHEN:

Saturday, August 2, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Best hours for media are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

WHERE:

McNear’s Beach Park, 201 Cantera Way, San Rafael, CA. From Highway 101, take the Central San Rafael exit and go east on Second Street (which becomes San Pedro Road) to Cantera Way.

WHO:

Pediatric liver, kidney and intestinal transplant patients and their families, organ donors, physicians, nurses, social workers, child life specialists and research coordinators.

INTERVIEWS:

Interviews can be arranged with those attending the event.

CONTACT:

To set up interviews in advance, contact the UCSF News Office at 415-476-2557. On the day of picnic, contact Kate Schoen, pager 415-443-6184 or cell 415-672-6875.

DETAILS:

Pediatric liver and kidney transplant services at UCSF Children’s Hospital are among the oldest children’s transplant services in the United States. Children have received transplanted kidneys at UCSF since 1964 and transplanted livers since 1989. UCSF pediatric specialists and transplant surgeons offer leading edge therapies and care for children with failing organs throughout their lives.