Transplant & Healthcare Support

I first learned about liver and kidney transplant patients in the mid 2000s when my spouse worked on the solid organ transplant team at a Chicago hospital. I gained trust in the
healthcare field learning of the many patients who received the opportunity of renewed life through surgery. I also worked with patients and families in hospice care and witnessed the
impact of people having to manage health challenges.

In October 2019, a family member fell ill having pain in his stomach shortly after a routine
dental visit. A CT Scan discovered a large tumor on his liver. He was diagnosed with
hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) and a congenital abernethy malformation in his portal
vein. He qualified for a deceased donor but his MELD score (model for end-stage liver disease)
was very low which means his chances of getting a deceased liver was extremely low. His only
option was a live liver transplant. For the next two years, family and friends embarked on donor
evaluations at a hospital in Wisconsin and all were ruled out due to the medical team’s interest
of the perfect match. A relative researched other programs and discovered The University of
Pittsburg Medical Center (UPMC) Transplant program led by Dr. Abhinav Humar. We were
grateful that my family member’s care was approved for a transplant at UPMC where they
provide a large volume of live liver transplants. Since my application as a donor in Wisconsin
was denied, I applied for the donor evaluation at UPMC and I was approved as a match for my
family member. In May 2022, we were in awe and full of gratitude to have a successful surgery
with this exceptional team.

I was amazed at the science and expertise of the doctors, nurses and all the staff who helped
throughout the many phases in the transplant experience. I am grateful to friends, family, my
doctor and psychotherapist who were all part of my support team as I entered the process and
proceeded to the live liver donor transplant surgery. My family member is an important part
of our lives and I am honored to share this bond of renewed life.

Through these life experiences, I would like to provide support for those who are waiting for a
transplant or family members who are supporting them. I also support medical providers and
staff members who work in transplant services and other areas of healthcare.
Please contact me if you are interested in connecting for counseling support.

Consider being a live liver donor. More than 100,000 people are on a waitlist for lifesaving
organ transplants and multicultural patients make up the majority on the waitlist.