Larry Schafer’s Liver Transplant Story:
You may be surprised that you are reading this…but our favorite family man, Santa Claus, realtor, glue to our family that keeps everyone together, and who has friends all over the country…is in desperate need of a Liver Transplant.
If you have ever met Larry Schafer, you know that he has a heart of gold, an infectious smile, and a magnetic personality. He leaves a lasting impression on everyone he meets. His wife Kathy, his family, and his friends are his number one priorities in life.
Larry is only 68 years young. He has a lot of life left to live! You know him as a fun, energetic, hardworking guy with a witty sense of humor who has never met a stranger and always has a positive outlook on life. Some people know him from his many years spent in the horse racing and hospitality industry, including Louisiana Downs, Harrah’s Casino Shreveport, and Lone Star Park, where he was loved by his customers and coworkers alike. Now a realtor in Dallas with Compass Real Estate, he is still winning people over with his friendly and ever helpful personality. He is known for his one of a kind, full of enthusiasm Open House videos on Facebook.
But these past 3 years have been difficult ones for him. In 2018 he was diagnosed with liver cancer and successfully treated with a liver ablation. He remained in good health until the Spring of 2020 when several new tumors were discovered during a routine CT scan. He then underwent 2 separate rounds of selective radiation therapy. The side effects from the second round and prescribed cancer drug that followed were especially hard on him, causing extreme fatigue, hand tremors, loss of equilibrium, and encephalopathy (aka brain fog). He was temporarily unable to drive, work, or even go for his daily walks with Kathy. Two months later he was hospitalized for 8 days with a gall bladder infection which required surgery.
Thankfully, Larry is currently cancer free and has been able to resume most of his normal activities. However the radiation treatments he received last year damaged his liver so badly that it is no longer functioning properly. The only option left is for him to have a liver transplant. Without it he will not survive. He has recently been placed on the transplant list at Methodist Dallas Medical Center and will hopefully receive a call soon for this life saving procedure.
In spite of everything he’s been through, Larry remains upbeat and optimistic. He knows he has many more memories to make with his loving wife Kathy, his family, and his many friends. He is facing the biggest challenge of his life and he is determined to overcome it. He is strong, resilient, and a fighter.
I am writing this because Larry (Uncle Lawrence as I call him), is my Godfather…he has been there for me my entire life. He has supported me through many struggles in my life. Now I’d like to ask all of his friends, his family, his old home town, and his community for their support of this special man who means the world to me and so many others.
Most importantly, please keep Larry and his doctors in your prayers. Please pray that he is able to receive a new healthy liver soon and that his transplant is successful. And if you can, please make a donation through this Go Fund Me page to help support him financially. He will be unable to work for several months after his transplant, and there will be bills coming in and other expenses not covered under his health insurance. Any donation, regardless of how small, will help tremendously and also provide peace of mind while he recovers. Your kindness is GREATLY appreciated.
Also, please feel free to share your well wishes or a favorite memory in the comment section below. I know that it will mean a lot to him and brighten his day. Family and friends are everything to him. Since this GoFundMe page will not be kept forever, I have created a gmail account for you to send any well wishes to him also. Please know that he will not respond for quite some time, but is grateful for those that reach out! The gmail account is: [email redacted]
And please SHARE this Go Fund Me Page! Thank you, and may God Bless you all.
Sincerely,
Kristie Molanick
#LarryLiverStrong