At Enduring Hearts, we envision a world where every child that needs a new heart receives one that lasts a lifetime. Enduring Hearts is the only national nonprofit dedicated to funding critical research to increase longevity and improve the quality of life for children with a transplanted heart.
Why we fund
For a child who undergoes a life-saving heart transplant, it’s not the end of the journey; it’s just the beginning. While a successful heart transplant offers hope in life, it’s important to know that it’s not a permanent solution. In fact, approximately 500 children receive a heart transplant every year, with the average lifespan of that transplanted heart lasting less than 20 years. While scientific advances have enhanced the graft survival rates during the initial year, long-term survival has only marginally improved.
What drives our research
Since our inception in 2013, Enduring Hearts has dedicated over $10 million to innovative research initiatives. Our mission revolves around several critical areas, including the development of cutting-edge technologies, the establishment of, the establishment of new post-transplant care guidelines, enhancing patient compliance with vital medications, and most importantly, development of less invasive procedures to combat organ rejection.
Lori J. West, MD, PhD
Enduring Hearts is honored to announce Dr. Lori West MD, PhD, as the recipient of the 2025 Enduring Hearts Dedication Award for her commitment and contributions to the pediatric heart transplant field.
Lori J. West, MD, DPhil is a Professor of Pediatrics, Surgery, Medical Microbiology/Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine/Pathology at the University of Alberta, Director of the Alberta Transplant Institute in Edmonton, Scientific Director of the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program (CDTRP) and a member of the Enduring Hearts Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). Dr. West has been at the forefront of pediatric and adult heart transplantation for over three decades. Her pioneering work on crossing ABO barriers led to a global impact on infant heart transplantation and significantly increased the survival rates of infants born with congenital heart disease. Dr. West’s hard work and dedication have built a national framework inclusive of all streams of research across all organ transplants, demonstrating the transformative power of collaborative team science.
"Congratulations to Dr Lori West on receiving the Enduring Hearts Medical Achievement Award, this is well deserved. Dr West has contributed to many improvements in transplant medicine, not limited to children’s hearts but also immunological considerations, psychosocial aspects and many other aspects. I believe some secrets of her success include her insatiable thrive to understand underlying mechanisms, never simply accept a dogma or status quo and relentlessly try to analyze the present approach for possibilities of improvement. She has also been very successful in bringing people from various specialties together beyond their own horizons in order to collaborate on solutions. She has been strengthening and supporting the role of Women in Transplantation throughout many societies and organizations in which she served in leadership roles, helping to adjust the face of transplant medicine to a modern perspective." - Dr. Simon Urschel
Improve longevity and the quality of a child's post heart transplant life by reducing/eliminating rejection and cardiac allograft vaculopathy (CAV)
Identify and develop
pre-transplant strategies, innovations or new technologies for children waiting for, and immediately following, a heart transplant that would improve
post-transplant longevity
Validate and implement evidence-based strategies to improve medication adherence and longevity of recipients during their adolescence and their transition to adult care
