Support Debbie and Sam On Their Transplant Journey

Deborah has had a long road, but her family and friends are hoping and praying that this next chapter is the end of her medical woes and she can return to living her life hugging her loved ones a little tighter.  

Here is Debbie’s story:

In April 2017, I went to my annual PCP and Naturopath appointments. I told them I was tired, I mean I was really tired. They looked at me, ran some blood tests and said I was fine. I was almost 50, had a history of long-standing colitis, a full-time job and a kid. Of course I was tired.

A month later, my husband and I applied for life insurance. I was denied due to incredibly high liver enzymes. In a panic, I called my PCP and was whisked in for a battery of tests. Two weeks later I was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC).

PSC is a disease of the bile ducts causing the ducts to stricture leading to cirrhosis, cancer and the need for a liver transplant in most cases. PSC is also a risk factor of Ulcerative Colitis I soon learned. It is a serious disease that is closely monitored by hepatologists, oncologists and transplant teams for fear of complications. A year of intensive treatment by rock star doctors has kept me positive, but unfortunately the inevitable has come true and I am now in critical need of a liver transplant.

Since diagnosis, I have been with the wonderful staff at MGH in Boston. I have also been on the UNOS liver transplant list since June 2019 in Boston. Unfortunately, livers from deceased donors in this area are very hard to come by. The wait for me, and many others, with very high MELD scores like mine, could be as long as two years. I need a liver now and cannot wait another year. Because of this, we pursued other hospitals and options including a live donor transplant. A live donor transplant is when somebody who is a match via blood type and other criteria gives me part of their liver through an intensive surgery so that I can live. It is an amazing and generous gift. My younger brother Sam has offered to be that donor. 

With Sam and my family by my side, we have gone through a truly unbelievable emotional roller coaster, visiting four hospitals in three states, trying to get approved for transplant. At one hospital, we were both approved, with a surgery date set, when I was abruptly terminated from their program. At the others, our stars just did not align. It’s been twists and turns not for the faint of heart. Now, incredibly, just as we think we’ve found our hospital, we find ourselves in the midst of a never-before-seen highly contagious pandemic with hospitals shutting down transplants and restrictions on travel. It's like a funny-not-funny terrifying soap opera.

So, here we are, right at the peak of the COVID-19 nightmare, at UPMC in Pittsburgh, hopeful that this is our last stop and the winner of all the hospitals. UPMC is by far the leader in live donor liver transplants in the U.S., performing approximately 100 per year. Sam and I undergo testing the week of April 27th and, if approved, our surgery could be as soon as the week after.

Sam will donate 60% of his liver to me in a 7-12 hour surgery. Both of our livers will fully regenerate over time. I am expected to spend 7-10 days in the hospital while Sam will likely spend 3-5 days. We will both go to a nearby center to recover which will take approximately 2-4 weeks. We will have individual caregivers present for pre-and-post-care but are not allowed visitors during our hospital stays. :(  We will then go home to recover and will plan to take off approximately three months from work.

By Sam's generous offer, he will be saving two lives; mine and the other person whose liver I would have taken. Thank you to him and to all who have offered. I am overwhelmed with love, appreciation and gratitude.

Thank you so much for your words, texts, emails, cards, notes, flowers, food, and rides during this time. Thank you to those who have helped with research and logistics and providing medical PPE for us to travel. Every little bit means so much to me and my family.

Much love to you all and please send positive vibes our way. We’re in for another long journey : 0

Please note that these funds will be for Debbie, Sam, and their two caregivers to use for all transplant-related expenses, including medical bills, travel, and accommodations for surgery and post-care, and for time off work. Any donation is greatly appreciated.