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Doug's Liver Transplant

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Hello.  My name is Craig, and thank you for taking the time to allow me to tell you the story of my best friend, and the best person I have ever known.  Doug and I are 32 years old and I have known him since we were both in diapers.  I have known him as long as I can remember.  I am so very thankful that I have had the privilege to call Doug my friend.  He is without a doubt, the most caring, kind, and gentlest soul in the world, which is why the latest chapter of his story is tragic.

For the past 2 years, Doug has made it a personal goal of his to train for and complete physical endurance challenges.  His ultimate goal was to complete the Iron Man Challenge .  He has participated in various running, cycling, and swimming events.  Most notably he has twice completed the Ride for the Feast, raising money for the Moveable Feast out of Baltimore which benefits the medically disabled by providing them nutritious, ready-to-eat meals, that they may not being able to afford or have the physical ability to prepare it themselves.  Ride for the Feast is a 2-day, 140-mile bike ride from Ocean City, MD to Baltimore, MD.  

On May 30, 2015, 10 days after his 32nd birthday, he participated in his first full triathlon, the Rock Hall Tri .  He has been training for months for this event, and has been in the best shape of his life.  During the final leg of his triathlon (a 10k run), at about the 4.5-mile mark, he recognized he was in trouble and detoured into a neighborhood near Chestertown, MD to seek assistance.  Luckily he got the attention of a local resident who immediately dialed 911.  The emergency services response was incredible, and he was quickly on his way to Shore Health Medical.  Once there he was diagnosed with extreme dehydration and heat stroke.  The medical staff there quickly realized the severity of his condition, and again he was being transported by Medevac to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, MD.  His kidneys and liver were failing, he hadn't regained consciousness, and wasn't breathing on his own.  The first night was very tense and stressful.  The shock trauma team at UMD has been, and continues to be, incredible.  They have stabilized him with liver and kidney dialysis, and have now assessed that while his kidneys are recovering and his body is responding to the dialysis, his liver is not improving and have recommended him for a liver transplant.  Due to his relative young age, and otherwise good health, he was luckily placed near the top of the donor recipient list.  After one day on the list we have received the bittersweet news that there is an available liver, and it appears to be a good match.  As I write this we are waiting for the liver to arrive, and he will hopefully be prepped for surgery shortly.  

While of course this is good news to the friends and family of Doug, we recognize and appreciate the sacrifice of a brave organ donor, and empathize with their loved ones.  We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!  We are still educating ourselves, and we would like more people to understand and be aware of the impacts of living with a transplant and organ donor awareness.

First and foremost, we continue to ask for all positive thoughts and prayers for Doug as we prepare for this risky, but necessary procedure, and his recovery.  Secondly, and of course the reason for this page, is to request donations to help Doug and his wife Kacey afford this costly procedure and medical care.


Doug and Kacey were married in September of 2009 and have everyday since been the epitome of the perfect marriage and unconditional love.  They are motivated by nothing other than the other's pleasure and happiness.  They are both fortunate to work in jobs that are personally fulfilling for them, however this medical bill could impact them for the rest of their lives.  Doug is the Executive Pastry Chef at Gertrudes , a restaurant in the Baltimore Museum of Art.  Ever since I've known him, he has always wanted to be a chef.  He was laser-focused on being the best chef that he could be, and in typical Doug-fashion, it's from making other people happy.  Kacey works for an environmental non-profit organization, the Chesapeake Bay Trust .  Much like Doug, it's a profession of passion to award grants to benefit the ecological well-being of our treasured Chesapeake Bay, and not motivated by large salaries.  

I appreciate the time you have taken to begin to know the amazing human being that Doug is.  Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his wife, who has only left his side when she has been asked to take a break by the medical staff attending to Doug.  Please reach out and help them in any way that you can, be it thoughts and prayers, a comment, a share or a donation.  Everything helps, and we are immensely grateful!  I speak for everyone on #TeamDoug when I thank you from the bottom of our hearts!





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Donations 

  • Bruce Levy
    • $50 
    • 8 yrs
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Organizer

Ashley Susnowitz Moccia
Organizer
Granite, MD

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