Some of the people most vulnerable to COVID-19 are those who are unable to leave their homes due to an illness or physical condition yet are at risk of contracting the disease if a caregiver or health care provider inadvertently brings it into their home. To protect this vulnerable population of people in the Birmingham area, members of the House Calls team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are bringing the vaccine to their patients and to eligible caregivers.

Due to a shortage of deceased-donor organs, living donation programs are a great way to meet the need for organs among those awaiting a transplant. Thanks to treatment advances by the UAB Medicine Comprehensive Transplant Institute (CTI) – along with a special program that helps donors navigate the transplant process – living kidney donation is easier than ever.

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We are pleased to announce this month’s UAB Medicine DAISY Award, recognizing the extraordinary care and compassion that nurses provide for patients and families every day. Submissions and stories are reviewed each month, and then the winner is surprised at a special ceremony.

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, which is April 18-24 this year, is an annual celebration of the medical laboratory professionals who play a vital role in health care. UAB Medicine takes great pride in the highly skilled medical technologists who work in these labs.

An estimated 11 million Americans have heart valve disease (HVD), a condition that involves damage to one or more of the heart’s valves. Symptoms often go undetected or are dismissed as a normal part of aging, yet HVD can lead to serious heart conditions or even death. This makes it especially dangerous.

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals tightened restrictions on visitors and who could access certain areas. This meant that no photographers, videographers, or others could visually document what was happening inside COVID-19 intensive care units.

Through a month-long series of events and promotions, Legacy of Hope (formerly the Alabama Organ Center) recognizes National Donate Life Month in April. The celebration, established by Donate Life America to raise awareness about organ donation, will showcase the various perspectives of families and individuals touched by donation and transplantation.

Genetic counselors are now required to be licensed in Alabama, thanks to a 2019 state law that regulates the service and sets minimum practice standards. About half of U.S. states require licensure for genetic counselors, to help ensure competency and as a first step toward billing for reimbursement for their services.

The UAB Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) is again the recipient of awards for quality and performance. For 2021, three national organizations that evaluate and spotlight high-performing hospitals and health systems recognized the UAB CVI in various categories of achievement.

As Easter approaches, celebrating the holiday during a pandemic may seem more optimistic than last year, but community members should remain diligent in their efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (March 22-28,2021) is an annual, week-long health observance that aims to inspire dialogue about the science of drug use and awareness of addiction among youth. This is the 11th year the National Institutes of Drug Abuse, which is a federal agency serving as part of the National Institutes of Health, has sparked conversations for this observance.