Founder's Corner
Dr. Clive Callender
Dr. Clive O. Callender is a native of New York and was educated
in their public schools and colleges. 1) P.S. 113, 2) P.S.
68, 3) Edward W. Stitt Jr. H.S., 4) Commerce H.S., and 5)
Hunter College. After completing Meharry Medical College in
1963 as the top ranking medical student and his surgical training
at Freedmen's Hospital in 1969, he received his transplant
surgical training at the University of Minnesota, under Dr.
John S. Najarian (Kidney) 1971-1973 and at the University
of Pittsburgh under Dr. Thomas E. Starzl (Liver) 1986-1987;
two of the premier transplant training programs in the U.S.
Since returning to HUH in 1973, Dr. Callender helped develop
the first minority directed dialysis and transplant center
and histocompatibility and immunogenetic laboratory in this
country. On August 8, 1991, the New England Journal of Medicine,
this country's premier medical journal, chronicled the 10
year experience of the first National Organ/Tissue Donor Program
in America. (Originated by HUH, the National Kidney Foundation
of the National Capital Area (NKF/NCA), and the DOW Chemical
Company (DOW)). This article referred to National Gallup Polls
which were conducted in 1985 and 1990 and demonstrated a tripling
of both the number of Blacks signing donor cards and the number
of Blacks aware of the highly successful nature of transplantation.
These successful joint HUH and Dow Chemical Company efforts
targeted the Black community and were the models used in 1991
to conceptualize and develop the National Minority Organ/Tissue
Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP®) for the purpose of increasing
minority donation rates nationally. In June of 1993, National
MOTTEP® received contract funding of $1.2 million from the
Office of Research on Minority Health (NIH) to develop a minority
donor strategic plan and implementation in eleven cities (June
1993 - June 1995). In July 1995, the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded
National MOTTEP® $5.8 million to expand National MOTTEP® into
15 cities between 1995 and 2000.
National MOTTEP® is the first national organization to identify
a two fold solution to the number one problem in transplantation
- the shortage of donors. The solution includes decreasing
the number of persons being added to the national waiting
list through a health promotion, disease prevention campaign
while simultaneously increasing the number of minority donors.
As a result of National MOTTEP®'s efforts, more than six million
persons have been reached, 500 volunteers recruited and more
than ten billion media impressions generated.
In January 1996, Dr. Callender was appointed Chairman of
the Department of Surgery and in February 1996, appointed
the first LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr. Professor of Surgery at
the Howard University College of Medicine. As the Senior African
American Transplant Surgeon and expert as it relates to minorities
and organ/tissue donation and transplantation, Dr. Callender's
media appearances have included the Oprah Show, Maury Povich
Show, Dateline, Nightline, CNN News and the CBS Evening News.
Dr. Callender has spoken to both professional and lay audiences
at more than 700 meetings/forums on the subject of transplantation,
and has authored over 100 scientific publications. He is a
member of numerous professional societies, and has served
as referee for ten scientific journals.
He serves as a member or advisor to numerous boards, committees
and task forces involved with transplantation issues. Although,
Dr. Callender has received many honors and awards in recognition
of his significant contributions in these areas, it is his
dream that he be remembered as a God fearing surgeon who reached
the "unreachable stars".