THE CHRONICLE Transplant Gives Child New Liver by SHANNON MULLEN Organ Donation
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Thursday September 19, 1985 Vol. 81, No. 20, 20 pages Duke University Durham, North Carolina Free Circulation: 15,000 THE CHRONICLE Transplant gives child new liver By SHANNON MULLEN organ donation. Sharpe praised the foresight of the liver donor's parents in taking "a bad situation and turning it One-year-old Fletcher Sharpe received a special birthday into a Hfesaver." present Tuesday when doctors at the medical center suc "We hope people will realize the vital importance of these cessfully replaced his ailing liver with a healthy one, mark organs," the boy's mother said. ing the first successful pediatric liver transplant performed The couple, from Bethany, N.C, also praised the people in North Carolina. they worked with at the medical center. "This is [Fletcher's] The boy was listed in critical but stable condition Wed second home," said Mrs. Sharpe. "We really belong here at nesday afternoon. He is receiving respirator support as Duke and we're thankful his transplant could be Duke's well as cyclosponne and steroids to help prevent rejection first." of the organ. Officials at the medical center informed the Sharpes of Fletcher, who officially turned one year old fifteen min the liver's availability Monday at 4:40 p.m. Sharpe said utes after the donated liver arrived at the medical center, he and his wife brought Fletcher, their only child, to the has suffered since birth from biliary atresia, an ailment medical center immediately from their home, about. 15 of unknown origin caused by incomplete formation of the minutes north of Greensboro. bile duct leading from the liver. Sharpe said he was unsure exactly how the liver was The donor of the liver was a 2-month-old girl who died transported but said the medical center's Life Flight emer of sudden infant death syndrome, or crib death, at E.W. gency helicopter was not involved. Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Hospital spokesmen said doctors refused to speculate The parents of the infant also made arrangements to about Fletcher's chances of a full recovery from the five- donate the girl's heart ducts to a recipient in Chicago and hour operation. "Rejection is an ever-present possibility, kidneys to Michigan's Organ Procurement Agency, accord and there's no way to predict what the chances of rejection ing to a spokesman for Sparrow Hospital. are right now - often the signs of rejection do not appear Fletcher had been on the medical center's list for a liver until 1-2 weeks after transplant," said a prepared state since January, when doctors informed his parents that the ment released to the press yesterday. child might have only weeks to live, according to the boy's Sharpe said doctors were predicting his 18 pound son BETH BRANCH/THE CHRONICLE mother, Jane Sharpe. She and with her husband Robert would remain in intensive care for a minimum of one met with the press Wednesday at the Searle Center. month. "The Lord gave us a miracle by allowing him to reach "It has been a stressful experience," he said. "It still is." A bit to the left, please his first birthday,'' she said. The sudden availability of the Surgeons partipating in the operation were: Drs. Randal James B. Duke takes some time off from his liver, she added, was a "double miracle." Bollinger, Howard Filston, Richard McCann and William continuous vigil over West Campus to enjoy a During the press conference the Sharpes repeatedly Meyers Drs. William Greeley and Timothy Quill were also bath, administered by Ed Dunn. urged parents and other adults to consider the merits of on the transplant team as anesthesiologists. Residential college guidelines under consideration By ROBERTSON BARRETT on that of another university because no existing models A new committee studying the feasibility of instituting are suitable for Duke. Most residential colleges are not a residential college may approve general guidelines for optional nor do they provide provide the depth of activities the college Friday, according to University President Keith the committee will consider. Brodie "One view of a residential college is that it is some very "My guess is at the very first meeting [Friday] they will narrow, peculiar, specialized kind of group," Clotfelter said. decide to go forward [with the proposal). there has been Instead, he supports having more than just intellectual enough enthusiasm," Brodie said. activities, such as college social functions, student talent If approved, a residential college, originally considered exhibitions and group trips and meals. as part of a new dormitory, will be incorporated into an Marty November, ASDU president, said he is against existing living area. Rather than duplicating residential current ideas for the college simply because he feels the college programs at other universities, administrators and type of student-faculty programs the college would offer committee members will seek to create a living option should be available to all students, not just residents of unique to Duke. the college. The committee, chaired by Charles Clotfelter, public Griffiths said the "British boarding school" image of policy professor, must choose a site for the college, identify residential colleges contributes to the false notion at Duke a master to lead it, stipulate the master's responsibilities that it may isolate a segment of the student body. "[Duke's and suggest specific programs. college] would be much more informal ... I would hate The group will consist of two or three Trinity undergrad to see our residential college become in any way exclusive," uates; one engineering student; Richard Cox, dean for he said. residential life; and several faculty members. ASDU endorsed the residential college when it was tied Clotfelter said while the plan will include the basic to the a proposal to build a new dormitory. Now that plans elements of a residential college - students, faculty and for the dormitory have been tabled, ASDU favors a formal a dining arrangement — Duke does not have to follow the solution to the housing crunch before planning for the patterns of other schools in defining its operation or college begins, November said. objectives. A master, most likely a faculty member of "high stature," Provost Phillip Griffiths said the purpose of having a would oversee the college's operation. A junior faculty PAM BARKIN/THE CHRONICLE residential college is twofold: to encourage faculty-student associate would perform daily administrative duties, Clot William Griffith, vice president for student affairs, interaction and to offer a diverse living arrangement. felter said. is among administrators working out Duke's version Griffiths said Duke will not model the residential college of a residential college. See COLLEGE on page 4 Inside Weather Starving artist: Michael Cerveris, recently acquired director of the Duke Institute of the Arts, bares Major figures: Philanthropists have given $500,000 his soul for art history majors everywhere. See page 4 to the Institute of Policy Sciences and Public Affairs of R&R R&R weather: A perfect day to blast the scorching to snare big speakers. And all in the name of senator- axework of legendary blues giants on eponymous to-be Terry S. See page 3. Rick's Consumer Guide: Rick rates Hail and albums. Ibday will make its solo debut in the high 80's, Oates, Squeeze, Mellencamp and "devil-worshipping and, due to its infectiousness, manage a brilliant return Seafood: Scientists expound on your favorite Ant- heavy metal bands" with your dollar in mind. For to the mid 50s tonight. Enjoy African polyrhythms in arctican comestibles, Russians and snow cones. And literary criticism, as always, see the weather box, then the 10 mph wind. pressing ecological issues, too. See page 4. see page 5 of R&R. Lebanon hostage gains release World & had become clear that was not to be. He declined to provide details. WASHINGTON - President Reagan announced Wednes At the same time, the president's national security day that the Rev. Benjamin Weir, who had been held adviser, Robert McFarlane, told newspaper publishers National hostage in Lebanon for 16 months, had been released and meeting in Colorado that the "competition" among three was back in the United States with his family. or four factions in Lebanon for custody of the hostages was Page 2 September 19, 1985 "fairly keen." The president said the release of Weir, which took place on Saturday, had been kept secret until now for fear of "We thought it possible that the awareness on Sunday endangering chances that six other Americans being held or Monday of Reverend Weir's release could intensify that hostage might be released. They include a diplomat, three competition and make more difficult the release of the members of the staff of the American University in Beirut, others," McFarlane said. That had been discussed with Newsfile a Roman Catholic priest, and an Associated Press corre Weir, McFarlane said, and he had agreed to "stay off the spondent, all abducted or reported missing between March skyline" until the chances for the release of the others could 1984 and June 1985. be clarified. Djerejian indicated reports that Weir and his family had Reagan, in New Hampshire campaigning for changes in It's a mystery: Facts on Benigno Aquino's death been reunited in Norfolk, Va., the site of a naval base and the tax system, told an outdoor crowd in Concord that he two years ago remain as elusive as ever, and the way airfield, were accurate. Weir's wife, their four grown child had talked with Weir from "Air Force One this morning, seems clear for the acquittal of some or all of the 26 ren and other members of his family were said to have gone and I'm happy for him and his family." men charged with involvement in the slaying of the to Norfolk from their homes in California on Sunday.