05/24/2024
*PLEASE SHARE – DONOR NEEDED*
My name is Andrea and I am the caregiver to someone in desperate need of a living donor to step forward to save his life by providing him a liver transplant. Mike is 52 years old, living in Brantford Ontario and is living with hepatocerebral degeneration due to liver disease and HCC liver cancer. He was put on the deceased donor list in September 2023, however his best chance at survival is to receive a living donor with blood type O+, O-, B+ or B- to donate at Toronto General Hospital.
Mike is eligible for a liver transplant as long as his cancer stays within the liver. Time is of the essence to contain the cancer and receive a transplant! With a transplant, the new liver should begin to function properly and filter the toxins building in his brain. The effects of hepatocerebral degeneration have caused speech impediments, his fine motor skills are close to non-existent and he struggles with mobility even with several different types of walkers. He describes the feeling as having his legs encased in cement. They just won’t move properly.
Living liver donation is when a healthy person donates a portion of their liver. A living donor’s liver will fully regenerate within 2-3 months. Truly amazing! In finding a living donor, Mike will be removed from the deceased donor list resulting in two lives being saved - Mike’s and the person behind him on the waiting list. There are many people eagerly waiting for transplant. Every three days a person dies in Ontario because they do not get the lifesaving transplant they need.
Toronto General Hospital has completed over 1,000 living liver donor transplants with a 100% success rate for donors! They have completed the most transplants in all of Canada. Anyone in good health, between the ages of 16 and 60 can apply to be a living donor.
What is Mike looking forward to after receiving his transplant? He would like to walk his dog in the greenspace behind his house. He would like to go to the grocery store and cook his own meal. He would like to walk, unassisted without the fear of falling forward. It’s the little things we all take for granted every day that would mean so much.
Mike is looking for someone brave and generous to give the gift of life along with donation champions willing to share this page with others. We thank you more than can be expressed!
To learn more about living donation and to apply to become a living liver donor, please visit: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Pages/living_liver_donor.aspx.
Potential donors apply by completing the 11 page health history: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Documents/Living_Donor_Health_History_Form.pdf. The form asks for his birthday – January 26, 1972.
The Living Liver Donor Program will contact applicants about next steps. Donor testing is done in Toronto, even if someone lives in another city or province. There is a reimbursement program though Trillium Gift of Life to help with travel, food and accommodation expenses.
If you’d like to ask the experts questions about becoming a living liver donor, contact the University Health Network Centre for Living Donation in Toronto at 416-340-5400 or livingorgandonation@uhn.ca.
