Personal Stories
Reflections of a Living Liver Donor
By Susanne MullmanIn July 2009, I was a liver donor to my 21 year old daughter, Jen, whose liver failed due to autoimmune hepatitis. I first wrote about the experience in December 2009. Though I accurately captured the emotion and the gratitude I felt at the time, I glossed over many aspects of the journey. Our lives had not yet gotten back to normal, and although Jen would return to school in a few weeks, part of me was still holding my breath, overwhelmed by all we had been through and a little fearful of the future. Now, with the passage of time and watching Jen resume her life in continued good health, it is easier to write the story.
From the City of Brotherly Love, A Brother's Liver Saves Sister
When 46-year-old Sharon Lupo started having stomach pains before Christmas, she brushed it off as a case of too much pre-holiday indulgence. But the pain persisted even after the holidays ended, landing her in the local emergency room. Many tests, scans, and biopsies later, she was shocked to learn the source of her pain: malignant epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, an extremely rare type of liver cancer. This type of cancer affects the lining of the blood vessels within the liver and strikes only 200 to 300 Americans each year.
Journey to Health: Aidan Ward Thriving After Father Donates Liver
People are often surprised when they first learn that a living person may donate his or her liver — "don't you need your liver?" is a common question.
In fact, living donor liver transplantation, or LDLT, is not only possible, but is the optimal choice for patients who need a liver transplant.
Columbia Patient Donates Left Lobe of Liver to Her Fiancé
When Megan Ellerd and Steven Ferretti met seven years ago, it was "instant love," she says. Not long after, the young couple found out that Steven had autoimmune hepatitis — but they didn't worry too much about it, hoping that it wouldn't affect them until much later in life. In 2008, however, the two were happily engaged when Steven's condition suddenly took a turn for the worse. His liver was failing, and he needed a transplant.
Need a New Liver? Ask the In-Laws
Back in 2000, Elizabeth Macchio, an occupational therapist in her thirties, noticed herself feeling increasingly tired. Her local doctor found elevated levels of enzymatic activity in her liver, but even so, her condition eluded diagnosis for several more years. Finally, in 2004, a diagnosis was made: she had a rare autoimmune liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The functioning of her bile ducts was gradually worsening — without a new liver, she would eventually die.
Dean Balcirak III"Thank you a thousand times over." Susan Balcirak's Letter to the CLDT
"Thank you a thousand times over for your selfless commitment to medicine and to your fellow human beings," writes Susan Balcirak in a letter to the CLDT team. Her son, Dean Balcirak III, had a living donor liver transplant on March 15th of 2004. He was 7½ months old. Dean's father, Dean Balcirak II, donated a portion of his own liver for the transplant. One year post-transplant, Dean's mother writes, "Dean truly is a normal little boy. He is a good size and growing fast, a typical toddler. We look back at a picture of him before his transplant and can't believe he is the same kid."
Regina Williams with her son, Paul MladineoMiracles Happen The Story of Regina Williams
"Miracles happen. I believe that how I survived liver failure was a miracle, and it continues to affect me and those around me," writes Regina Williams, a retired college teacher. Gina went into liver failure from undetected autoimmune liver disease and had a transplant in 2004. Her son, Paul Mladineo, donated a portion of his own liver for the transplant. Several years post transplant, Regina is thriving "Paul and I are doing great, livers functioning perfectly," she says.
