Stories of Hope for Liver Patients

Losing a sister, saving a life with donation

A campus classroom may seem like an odd spot to consider organ donation. But trust Sara Miller when she tells you it is better than a hospital waiting room. That’s where she and her family made the decision eight years ago to donate the liver of Miller’s older sister, Laura, who had been declared brain-dead days after being diagnosed with cancer at age 14.

‘Yes’ means we’ve become a family

Liver, Living donor

Michael Pettijohn was a strong guy. After four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, he went to work at a consulting engineering company and started taking night classes at UT San Antonio to earn his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Busy as he was, he didn’t think much of it when he started feeling tired, and didn’t even notice his eyes had turned yellow.

The special bond of Hudson and Uncle Trevor

Liver, Living donor

Jordan and Morgan Hill carry with them a custom-made coin inspired by their son’s liver transplant and the man who saved his life. Morgan had the coin made weeks before his older brother, U.S. Army Special Operations Command Lt. Col. Trevor Hill, flew to Seattle from North Carolina to donate part of his liver to his 8 ½-month-old nephew, Hudson.

Brayden Welhoefer of Stoughton, WI

Liver, Transplant recipient

My son Brayden, age 5 1/2, was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia when he was three months old. He was on the waiting list for a new liver for eight months. On April 29, 2008, when he was just over a year old, Brayden received his first transplant. Unfortunately, there...

Brendon Dix of Albuquerque, NM

Kidney, Liver, Transplant recipient

Brendon’s journey to transplantation was a long journey, indeed, and it is not your “typical” kidney-liver candidate story. He has a rare genetic disorder called Methylmalonic Acidemia (MMA), that affects his body’s ability to metabolize protein, and causes acid to...

Jane Enright of Pickerington, OH

Liver, Transplant recipient

Boy did I think I had a pretty good life.I was married, had a nice house, a good job and two beautiful children, ages three and four. It was priceless. We took our children everywhere. Sunday drives were the best. One day I went to the doctor because my arms were...

Kathryn Smith of Miami, FL

Intestine, Kidney, Liver, Pancreas, Transplant recipient

My story begins my junior year of high school. I was always a healthy child but I suddenly became severely ill at the young age of 17 when doctors diagnosed me with idiopathic autoimmune hepatitis that had left me with only 25% liver function and determined that I...

Alice Bach of West Chester, PA

Liver, Living donor, Stories

My mom and I have always had a special relationship. We share the same smile, sense of humor, and nowadays, we share the same liver. On November 27, 2012, my mom’s 19-year battle against two liver diseases finally came to an end, when she received a portion of my...