Pressing On

10/14/2026

😴 Sleep in the hospital is hard to come by… 🏥

That’s why we provide caregivers with foam mattresses to help them get a little more rest right at their child’s bedside. If they can sleep a little more comfortably, even for a few extra minutes, these mattresses are well worth it!

We recently restocked all the foam mattresses on the transplant floor at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh so social workers can provide them to parents when the hospital futon just won’t cut it. 😴

As transplant parents who know firsthand how important it is to be close to your child during a hospitalization, we know that even the smallest comforts can mean so much during an incredibly difficult season.

This is just one of the many tangible ways YOU, our Pressing On partners, make a difference for hospitalized families. Your generosity helps us provide practical resources, a little more comfort, and reminders to families that they are seen, loved, and valued.

To everyone who gives, serves, and partners with us in this mission - THANK YOU - for helping us make a difference, one mattress at a time. 💙🩵

10/02/2026

🏥 A hospital trip can be overwhelming enough without having to wonder, “What am I forgetting?” ⁉️

That’s why we created our free Hospital Packing Checklists. We’re grateful that healthcare professionals at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh have been sharing these resources with their patients for years - including families being seen at the new UPMC Heart Institute at Children’s - as they prepare for a hospital stay.

Whether you’re preparing for a planned hospitalization, making a quick trip to the emergency room, or spending some time at the Ronald McDonald House in Pittsburgh, we’ve created free, downloadable checklists to help take some of the guesswork out of packing. These resources were shaped by our own experiences walking through hospitalization with our family, and our hope is simple: that they help you feel a little more prepared when you need to spend some time at the hospital.

💻 Visit PressingOn.org/hospital-checklists to download them for free - and feel free to share them with someone you know who might need them!

09/23/2026

Are you a transplant parent that's helping your child’s school team understand what they need to thrive this year? ❤️📚

Here in the first full month of the school year, we know many transplant families are navigating more than backpacks, bus schedules, and new teachers. You may also be communicating with teachers, nurses, counselors, administrators, and special education teams about your child’s unique medical, academic, emotional, and safety needs. Advocating for a medically complex child can feel overwhelming—but you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

That’s why we want to remind our Pressing On families about this incredible School Resource Packet for Transplant Families, created by our own Regan Reeder in partnership with the Starzl Network. 🫶 The packet includes practical guidance and templates for 504 Plans and IEPs, Individual Health Plans, Emergency Care Plans, letters to school and physicians, beginning-of-the-year checklists, parent questionnaires, classroom accommodations, medical considerations, and more. It was created to help families and school staff work together to provide continuity of care and create a school environment where transplant students can be safe, supported, and able to learn.

Whether your child is returning to school after transplant, managing ongoing medical needs, or simply needs their teachers to better understand their journey, this resource is a great place to start—or revisit—as you advocate for your child this school year. You know your child best, and your voice matters. ❤️
👉 Click here to access the School Resource Packet for Transplant Families:
https://starzlnetwork.org/resource/school-resource-packet-for-transplant-families/

08/29/2026

💃🪩🕺 Some nights are about dancing…Some nights are about remembering…And some nights are both! 💙💚
We loved sponsoring the dance at Camp Chihopi this past month - and this year, the night carried an especially meaningful significance as we gathered to honor our dear friend, Shaelyn Beachem.

Shae brought so much love, joy, and energy to this special night for the campers. So it was incredibly meaningful to partner with the amazing transplant staff to continue that tradition and celebrate the impact she made on so many lives.

The kids were treated like the VIPs they are. ✨ They dressed up, got their hair and nails done, enjoyed a little makeup, and then danced the night away with a DJ, photo booth, snacks, and plenty of smiles.

But one of the most beautiful moments came when the campers gathered for a special dance in Shae’s honor. Friends wrapped their arms around one another, shared memories, and reflected on the love and friendship that connects this incredible transplant community.

There were smiles. There were tears. There was a whole lot of dancing. And there was a beautiful reminder that no one walks alone.

We are so grateful to be part of a community that knows how to celebrate life, remember those we love, and make every child feel seen, loved, and valued.
What a night. What a camp. What a gift. 💙💚

08/18/2026

Camp Chihopi is the BEST! 💙💚 What a wonderful experience for kids that have persevered through so much.

08/13/2026

💙💚 What a wonderful morning we had at the Camp Chihopi Parent & Partner brunch!

This morning it was our privilege to provide resources, gifts and connect with dozens of transplant families whose kids will be having the time of their lives in WV over the next few days. 💝 Each family received a parent gift box assembled by our volunteers to pamper themselves this weekend while their child is away at transplant camp. It’s humbling to be connected to so many inspirational families and their stories of perseverance through transplant - what an awesome group!

07/29/2026

👏 Thanks to all the volunteers who made it out this evening to help package resources and care packages for transplant families. We appreciate your help and support. Special shoutout to Griffs Italian Ice and Soft Serve for providing their awesome Italian Ice as a treat for everyone!

07/27/2026

Proud of our wonderful transplant team here at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh!

At UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, we are proud to support efforts that advance pediatric transplant care, champion organ donation, and give more children the chance to grow up healthy and thrive.

We are encouraged by recent federal action focused on improving access to pediatric liver transplantation. Following advocacy efforts led by transplant experts George V. Mazariegos, MD, and Sang-Mo Kang, MD, along with parent advocate Maria Bell of the Starzl Network for Excellence in Pediatric Transplantation, Senator Chuck Grassley as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has requested a review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of pediatric waitlist mortality and access to split-liver transplantation.

This important step brings greater attention to the challenges faced by children awaiting liver transplants and highlights opportunities to improve access to lifesaving organs for our youngest patients.

Learn more:https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_gao_-_pediatric_organ_request.pdf

07/25/2026

🎉 4,000 families.

It’s a number we’re celebrating today, but it’s much more than a statistic.

Because every number has a name. Every name has a story. A story of perseverance. 💙🩵

Since 2019, Pressing On has now had the privilege of serving 4,000 hospitalized families through transplant journeys, long hospital stays, moments of uncertainty, and seasons of hope.

We’ve prayed before surgeries, sat beside parents in waiting rooms, provided practical resources, coached families through transplant, gathered caregivers together, and walked with families through grief when the unimaginable happened.

Thank you to every family, volunteer, donor, healthcare professional, and supporter who has helped make this milestone possible. 💙💚

07/24/2026

🎉 Join us in Celebrating 4,000 Families Served!