Over 330 children have received kidney transplants at the University of Wisconsin’s American Family Children’s Hospital since its Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program began in 1967. Beginning in 2004, the program began offering a steroid-free immunosuppression protocol option utilizing the anti CD52 monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab/campath as part of an IRB/FDA regulated study. Led by its medical director, Sharon M. Bartosh, MD, the division’s innovative alemtuzumab/campath steroid-free regimen allows patients to thrive and grow in a steroid-free environment. Since 2004, 58 children have taken advantage of this immunosuppression protocol and 82% of the grafts done are still functioning
The success of the Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program and the introduction of steroid-free immunosuppression protocols is driven by Sharon Bartosh, MD, who became Medical Director of the University of Wisconsin’s Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program in 1998. Dr. Bartosh’s expertise and leadership in the area of transplantation contributed to her elections to several national leadership positions, including as councilor in the American Society of Transplantation, two-time board member in the UNOS/OPTN, and a councilor for the International Pediatric Transplant Association (IPTA). Dr. Bartosh is also an editor-in-chief of Pediatric Transplantation.
Dr. Bartosh is passionate about the need to disseminate information and knowledge of pediatric transplant issues and policy, especially given the rapidly changing national transplant landscape and how national allocation policy changes affect children. She has been an active member of the UNOS/OPTN Pediatric Committee for over 10 years and is a liaison to the general pediatric nephrology community thought the ASPN’s Kidney Notes and Transplant Interest Group (TIG).