Since January, the Colby Foundation has spoken to medical students, faculty, and staff at five medical schools in four states as part of the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series (CCELS).
- Lincoln Memorial DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tennessee
- Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Oklahoma
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton Campus, Florida
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie Campus, Pennsylvania
- Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Seton Hill Campus, Pennsylvania
These five schools are among seven that have been awarded the Colby Cassani Endowed Lectureship Series (CCELS), a full-spectrum learning experience, by the Colby Foundation. The CCELS not only includes speakers addressing donation and transplantation's clinical challenges, scientific developments, ethical issues, and regional logistics; but, it also features individuals sharing their personal journey as an organ donor, donor family, or transplant recipient.
A cornerstone of the Lectureship Series is Colby Foundation Trustee, Starla Cassani's, presentation telling Colby's story. The Cassani's tragic loss of Colby and the hope and healing they found through donating his organs inspired them to establish the foundation to educate others in his honor. Through the CCELS the Colby Foundation is funding a permanent place for education about organ, eye, and tissue donation in the curriculum of qualifying medical schools.
Presenters at LECOM included:
- Melissa Kelley, RN, CPTC - Recovery Services Specialist, LifeLink of Florida
- Brian Kimbrell, MD, FACS - Trauma/Surgical Critical Care Medical Director at Blake Medical Center
- Kurt Shutterly, RN, CPTC - Vice President for Operations at the Center for Organ Recovery and Education
- Ronald Shapiro, MD - Professor of Surgery and Robert J. Corry Chair in Transplantation Surgery at the Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute of UPMC/University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
- James Rossetti, DO - Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine; Western Pennsylvania Cancer Institute Division of Hematology/Oncology
- Christopher R. - Kidney transplant recipient
