South Carolina Transplant Foundation

06/13/2026

The National Living Donor Triathlon hosted at the Clemson Triathlon is going to be hot. Water temperature is 75 degrees, and it hit 92 degrees at Clemson University today.

06/09/2026

We are proud to announce the addition of Mary Shearer, MSN, DNP, from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Transplant, and Ayda Menjugas-MacDuff, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CCTN, from Prisma Health Transplant to our Board of Directors.

05/23/2026

While we were disappointed that the Lakeside Double Triathlon was canceled this weekend due to weather, we are already looking ahead to the next opportunity to race, connect, and raise awareness about the life-saving impact of organ donation and transplantation.

The National Living Donor Triathlon hosted at the Clemson Triathlon is quickly approaching, and the South Carolina Transplant Foundation is excited to support this incredible event and community once again. This year’s race weekend does overlap with the Transplant Games of America 2026, but we still hope to see living donors, transplant recipients, families, and supporters participate. We currently have five registered and invite any Kidney Donor Athletes.

We are proud to continue our living donor (and transplant recipient) category, and we would love to grow participation even further. If you know a donor or recipient interested in racing individually or as part of a relay team, please help us spread the word and share the registration link below.

Register for the Clemson Triathlon, Saturday, June 20th, at beautiful Clemson University:

The Clemson Triathlon is on Saturday June 20, 2026. It includes the following events: Sprinternational Triathlon, Sprinternational Relay, Aquabike, Aquathlon, Living Donor - Individual, and Living Donor - Relay Team.

05/22/2026

Congratulations to our Executive Director, Zachary Sutton, DHA on his position with the American Society of Transplantation.

Congratulations to American Society of Transplantation APP Community of Practice Executive Committee Co-Chair-elect, Zachary Sutton, DHA, MS, MSPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, FACHDM, on being elected to serve in this national leadership role for 2026. The AST announced Zachary’s election as co-chair of the Advanced Practice Providers Community of Practice, recognizing his ongoing commitment to transplant advocacy, education, innovation, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

As transplant program coordinator at Carolina Nephrology, Zachary has been a strong advocate for improving access to transplantation, expanding transplant outreach, supporting living donation, and advancing collaboration between nephrology and transplant teams throughout South Carolina and in the southeastern region. His work across transplant care, education, and patient advocacy continues to help strengthen the transplant community both regionally and nationally.

https://www.myast.org/blog/2026-cop-executive-committee-election-results

05/22/2026

Congratulations to our Director of Finance, Samicca Berry LISW-CP, CCTSW, on completing the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, and Cathy Cole BRHTE Leadership Academy.

Samicca’s capstone project focused on improving access to kidney transplantation through data-informed strategies and early pathway interventions: addressing barriers between referral and evaluation initiation while highlighting opportunities to strengthen communication, coordination, patient engagement, and patient navigation. Her work reflects the ongoing commitment across the transplant community to improve access, reduce delays, and support patients earlier in their transplant journey.

05/20/2026

An amazing night for a great cause!

05/16/2026

This is amazing- we expect to see robotic kidney transplants in South Carolina to benefit more patients.

05/11/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all those women and caregivers, many of whom are organ donors or recipients.

05/09/2026

One conversation can change and even save a life.

A powerful story out of the Chicago Sun-Times reminds us why we have to keep talking about the need for organ donation and transplantation. After years of searching, sharing her story on billboards, social media, and anywhere she could, Christine Hernandez finally received a life-saving kidney transplant because a stranger read her story and decided to step forward as a living donor.

That donor was not family. Not a lifelong friend. Just someone who heard the story and realized they could help.

Too many patients are waiting in silence, hoping that the right person will somehow find them. That is why advocacy matters. Sharing stories matters. Telling everyone you know about the need for a transplant matters.

You never know who may decide to register as an organ donor, consider becoming a living donor, share a patient’s story, or become the miracle someone has been praying for.

More than anything, this story is a reminder that hope grows when awareness grows. The transplant community cannot stay quiet. We have to continue educating, advocating, and encouraging conversations in our communities, workplaces, churches, schools, and online.

One article. One conversation. One person willing to act.
That was enough to change a life forever.

A stranger read that Christine Hernandez needed a kidney transplant and was so touched that she became her kidney donor. Hernandez says: “I never lost my faith.”

05/05/2026

SCTF Board Member Spotlight: Beth Begley, RN, BSN, CCTC

We’re proud to shine a spotlight on Beth Begley, whose dedication to transplantation has impacted countless lives across our region.

Beth currently serves as the Clinical Operations Manager for the Prisma Health Transplant Program in Greenville, where she plays a vital role in both clinical care and administrative leadership. Her unique ability to bridge these worlds ensures that every transplant patient benefits from a program that is not only compassionate but highly coordinated and effective. From day-to-day operations to long-term program success, Beth is deeply involved in shaping outcomes for every patient who walks through the transplant journey.

Before making South Carolina home in October 2021, Beth spent more than 30 years at the Emory Transplant Center in Atlanta, building an extraordinary career rooted in excellence and service. She has maintained her certification as a Clinical Transplant Coordinator since 2000 and was a founding member of the Georgia Chapter of the International Transplant Nurses Society, demonstrating her long-standing commitment to advancing transplant nursing.

For Beth, transplantation is more than a profession—it’s a calling. Helping patients move toward a healthier life through the gift of organ donation continues to bring her immense personal and professional fulfillment.

In addition to her leadership within Prisma, Beth is also the driving force behind the Transplant Trot—a walk and 5K run now in its second year—raising critical funds to support transplant patients and their families.

Her continued service to the transplant community and the South Carolina Transplant Foundation does not go unnoticed. Beth’s passion, leadership, and heart for patients make her an invaluable part of our mission.

Thank you, Beth, for all that you do!