The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted the lives of transplant patients and their families. As the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of our patients continues to be been affected, health care practitioners have needed to adapt their approach to care.

This session will highlight wellness supports to address these new challenges that have quickly become more essential to the care we provide. Focus areas will be lifestyle and well-being changes including guidance on strategies that can support patients and their families.

The session will have presentations from the following professionals from across the globe:

• Clinical Psychologist
• Exercise Physiologist
• Health Play Specialist

Learning objectives

• Describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient and family coping and mental health
• Discuss lifestyle challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and sustainable guidance that can be implemented to support these challenges
• Review strategies and activities that promote and support wellbeing for both patients and caregivers

Donna graduated from University of California San Francisco with a master’s degree in advanced practice pediatric nursing in 2010. She joined the Pediatric Advanced Cardiac Therapies (PACT) program at Stanford Children’s in 2011. Donna previously cared for children after cardiac surgery and transplant as a bedside nurse, so has enjoyed heart transplant care for over 14 years. As the non-physician representative for PHTS for the 2019-2021 term, Donna contributes to the Steering and Database Committees and is proud to represent allied health professionals.

Dr. Caroline Piotrowski is an associate professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. Her research takes an interdisciplinary perspective that combines developmental psychology, health promotion, and implementation science. Her research expertise includes sibling relationships in adverse circumstances and the use of mixed methods to study factors influencing children’s trauma and resilience. She has led and contributed to national and international research teams concerning injury and violence prevention, and has teaching expertise in trauma- and violence-informed approaches to care.