MADISON, Wis. — UW Health’s Transplant Center will commemorate six decades of transplant care with a free, family-friendly community event Sept. 20 at the Alliant Energy Center. The program began in 1966 with its first kidney transplant. In the 60 years since, UW Health says its transplant teams have performed procedures for more than 20,000 patients and supported more than 4,200 living donors. Dixon Kaufman, a transplant surgeon with UW Health, said the program’s history reflects both the commitment of medical staff and the generosity of organ donors and donor families. He described organ donation as an extraordinary form of human connection: Living donors give directly to people in need, while families facing the death of a loved one can authorize donations that may help as many as six or seven recipients. The anniversary event will offer the Madison community an opportunity to recognize transplant recipients, living donors, donor families and the health care workers who have sustained the program over six decades. Organ transplants depend on people choosing to donate, making public awareness and donor registration an important part of expanding access to lifesaving care.