Glisson family establishes endowed scholarship at UofM Lambuth

 February 11, 2020 - The Glisson family, former residents of Jackson, Tenn., has chosen to establish the Shelby Glisson Memorial Scholarship at the UofM Lambuth. The endowed scholarship will support nursing students who have had to overcome a medical adversity to attend the Loewenberg College of Nursing at the UofM Lambuth.

Shelby Glisson, who had a rare lung condition that required her to be on oxygen since she was nine months old, did everything kids do – school, church, girl scouts, swimming and dance lessons – all with an incredible smile that touched the hearts of many.

“We are very appreciative of the Glisson family, and we all will continue to honor Shelby’s legacy,” said Dr. Niles Reddick, dean of the UofM Lambuth and chief operating officer of the Lambuth and Millington campuses.

“We continue to grow the nursing enrollment at the UofM Lambuth and are excited to have even more scholarship support for students in need at the Lambuth campus, Most of our excellent and well-trained students stay and work right here in West Tennessee giving back to their community.”

After receiving her first double lung transplant on Dec. 23, 2006, Glisson went into chronic rejection and did photopheresis treatment to preserve her lung functions. She graduated from Friendship Christian School, attended the UTC School of Nursing and was a proud member of the Sigma Kappa sorority.  

 After a year and a half in college, she started feeling ill, and the transplant team did her seven-year evaluation early to try to figure out what was happening. It was determined her health was deteriorating rapidly, and she wouldn’t survive very long without a second lung transplant.

 Glisson became very, very ill and went on a ventilator to try to wait for the gift of life. After having a difficult surgery with her second lung transplant on Aug. 12, 2014, Glisson endured many complications while fighting incredibly hard until passing on Feb. 4, 2016.

Despite her health challenges, she made a difference in every life she touched.