Rachel N. Criner, MD, Assistant Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, and lung transplant patient Ted Dawson joined 107.9FM’s “Did You Know” show to discuss organ transplantation. Dr. Criner highlighted Temple University Hospital setting the U.S. record for lung transplants in a calendar year, performing 179 of the surgeries in 2025, and the fact that Temple cares for a high volume of medically complex patients – many deemed too high-risk for other centers – including those of advanced age or who need concurrent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at the time of lung transplantation. Rachel Criner also emphasized Temple’s patient-centered approach to lung transplant care. Ted shared his journey to a lung transplant with 107.9FM listeners. He has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and first started having difficulty breathing nearly 10 years ago. Gerard J. Criner, MD, FACP, FACCP, Chair and Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Director of the Temple Lung Center, guided Ted and his wife Lisa through the transplant process, and Ted received his new lung in July 2025 in a surgery performed by Yoshiya Toyoda, MD, PhD, William Maul Measey Chair and Professor of Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Surgical Director of Thoracic Transplantation at TUH.
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