Newswise — LOS ANGELES (June 18, 2025) — The choice was ice cream or chocolate cake.
After a successful kidney-pancreas transplant at the Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Transplant Center, Janine Roberson was thrilled to finally get the doctor’s OK to eat solid foods. But when a dietitian arrived at her hospital bed and asked which dessert she wanted with her first meal, Roberson raised a brow.
“I can have dessert?” she asked. “Without insulin?”
Now 37, Roberson had lived with Type 1 diabetes nearly all her life—she was diagnosed at 7. The chronic disease eventually caused stage 5 kidney failure—her kidneys were so damaged they barely functioned, leading to years of dialysis treatment.
But today, 10 months after her transplant by Cedars-Sinai surgeons Todd Brennan, MD, MS, and Steven Wisel, MD, Roberson’s quality of life is better than ever. She no longer has diabetes.
And those are only two of her reasons for celebrating.
On June 13, Roberson graduated with an associate degree from El Camino College in Torrance, California. She came back to the Comprehensive Transplant Center that morning to see Brennan, Wisel and other transplant team members, give them hugs and tell them thank you.
“I went through this journey by myself—my family and many of my friends live far away,” Roberson said. “My doctors and nurses were my support network, and they made it possible for me to graduate.”
Graduation was just another indication of Roberson’s fortitude, according to the Cedars-Sinai team.
“Janine has remarkable resiliency, as demonstrated by the many obstacles she has overcome,” said Brennan, professor of Surgery. “Resiliency made her a strong candidate for successful double organ transplantation, helped ensure a quick recovery, and is now helping her achieve her goals.”
Wisel agreed, praising Roberson for properly managing her diabetes and staying positive amid many ups and downs.
“Janine is a perfect example of the true benefits of pancreas transplantation,” said Wisel, surgical director of Pancreas Transplantation. “It is not just freedom from insulin injections—but a new lease on life. She has quickly learned to thrive as a kidney-pancreas recipient, and we look forward to supporting her through her successes.”
Excited and Emotional
The decision in 2021 to go back to college helped Roberson, a former graphic designer, through one of the more challenging times of her life.
She had been on medical disability when, while undergoing peritoneal dialysis—a procedure that uses the abdominal lining to filter blood—at home, alone, she decided to pursue a new career.
She is working toward a double major in child development and psychology to become a child life specialist, helping children with chronic illnesses and serving as a mentor for their parents. It’s something Roberson and her family had needed—she remembers much isolation and fear as she grew up managing diabetes, although those challenging times made her a stronger adult.
Once she decided to go back to school, Roberson was especially reminded of her inner strength.
“There were so many medical appointments, health issues, classes, working part time, and doing an internship, and I handled it all on my own,” she said. “So many times, I wanted to give up. Some may think, this is just community college on the path to a four-year degree, but for me, this graduation is a huge milestone. I’m excited and very emotional.”
Ups and Downs
Roberson was on the transplant waitlist six months—a shorter time than is common for many organ transplants because fewer people are waiting for a pancreas.
On July 4, 2024, she got a call to come to Cedars-Sinai right away: A deceased donor’s organs were available for transplantation. It was just before her birthday.
“I was so excited—I just knew it was my birthday gift from God,” she said.
However, Roberson’s dreams were dashed when the team learned the pancreas wasn’t viable. The following month, the transplant team called her again. Another donor’s organs were available.
“I was afraid to get my hopes up,” Roberson said. “When Dr. Brennan came into my hospital room, I asked, ‘Is this really happening?’ He said, ‘It is happening,’ and I started to cry.”
On Aug. 22, she was wheeled into the operating room for one of only five kidney-pancreas transplants performed at the medical center in 2024. After 12 days recovering in the hospital, she was allowed to go home. New milestones were marked a few months later: a hike in a local canyon and, perhaps most memorable, seeing a member of her favorite K-pop band, BTS, perform in concert. She held up a big sign that said, “I got a new kidney to be here!”
New Goals
There’s much more to accomplish, Roberson said. She plans to write a thank-you letter to the organ donor’s family, but she wants to give them time to heal. She also wants to experience more milestones she can share.
“I want them to know how grateful I am, and that I’m a person worthy of their loved one’s gift,” she said.
Roberson also wants to make her dad proud. She dedicated her graduation cap to “Pa,” her best friend and biggest influence in resilience. He passed away a month before her graduation.
“He always wanted to see me healed, and I know he’s excited for me to do new things, live new things and see new things,” she said.
For Roberson, Aug. 22, 2024, was a turning point.
It was the day she began her second life. The day surgeons gave her the opportunity to graduate. The day she chose the chocolate cake.
Read more in Cedars-Sinai Discoveries Magazine: All Eyes on Transplantation
