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Alice Brandenburg was the first heart transplant patient in Kentucky. The procedure, performed by a medical team led by Dr. Laman Gray at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, August 24, 1984 was successful for Ms Brandenburg who had been suffering with severe heart disease for over two years. Ms Brandenburg, however, had problems over the next year, including alcohol and smoking issues. She had little family to help support her aside from a cousin, Robert Smith. She had two sons. One was incarcerated at the Kentucky State Penitentiary, the other son lived in North Carolina. She was readmitted to the hospital several times and on July 27, 1985 she died at Jewish from a ruptured pancreas aggravated by her alcohol abuse and her inability to stay on her organ anti-rejection medications.
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Jay Mather
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Alice Brandenburg: Kentucky's First Female Heart Transplant Recipient
Alice Brandenburg was the first heart transplant patient in Kentucky.  The procedure, performed by a medical team led by Dr. Laman Gray at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, August 24, 1984 was successful for Ms Brandenburg who had been suffering with severe heart disease for over two years.  Ms Brandenburg, however, had problems over the next year, including alcohol and smoking issues.  She had little family to help support her aside from a cousin, Robert Smith.  She had two sons.  One was incarcerated at the Kentucky State Penitentiary, the other son lived in North Carolina.  She was readmitted to the hospital several times and on July 27, 1985  she died at Jewish from a ruptured pancreas aggravated by her alcohol abuse and her inability to stay on her organ anti-rejection medications.