The Big Picture
For children who need an organ transplant, time is everything. More than 2,000 children in the U.S. are currently waiting for a transplant, and pediatric patients make up only about 2% of the national transplant waiting list. Despite that small share, young children, especially those under five, face the highest risk of dying while they wait, largely because they often need organs that are size-matched.
What’s Happening
Families of pediatric transplant patients and clinicians from Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital came together to spotlight the urgent need for organ donation for children, while also honoring donors and celebrating transplant success stories.
The Transplant Program, in partnership with University of Utah Health, had a record year in 2025, including 18 pediatric heart transplants (third most in the nation) and 21 pediatric liver transplants (sixth most in the nation).
The program performs pediatric heart, liver, and kidney transplants and has a long track record, including hundreds of heart and liver transplants to date.
The event also highlighted patient stories, such as Ellie Farmer, who received part of a liver from her aunt as a living donor match and is doing well post-transplant. And Alonzo “Lonnie” Whitney, who received a heart transplant at just 6½ weeks old and is now thriving, according to his family.
Why It Matters
Clinicians emphasized that strong outcomes and high volumes are driven by a full-team approach, from surgeons and cardiologists to nurses, coordinators, pharmacists, and many others.
But even with innovation and excellent clinical outcomes, the biggest constraint remains the same: the shortage of donor organs, especially for children who need size-matched organs. In some cases, living adult donation can be part of the solution, but the overall need is much larger than any single program can meet without more families choosing to register as donors and talk with loved ones about that decision.
The Bottom Line
Pediatric transplantation can mean the difference between life and death, but it depends on organ donation. Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital clinicians and families are using these patient stories and record-setting milestones to make a direct appeal: more donors are needed so more kids can get the transplants they are waiting for.