Alcohol. Drugs. Metabolism.
These are the first few words an average person would conjure up when hearing the word “liver.”
For me, the liver is more than a digestive and processing aid. It is what gives me life.
The liver is one of five essential organs needed for survival. Beyond alcohol and drug processing, it plays a critical role in immunity and digestion. Without the liver, it would be difficult for the body to absorb nutrients and detoxify dangerous substances. A life without a functioning liver is a life not worth living at all. The symptoms experienced are defined as excruciating and torturous.
When I was about eight months old, I was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a condition in which the bile ducts in my liver were damaged or malformed. Bile ducts deliver bile produced by the liver to the intestines. Without the presence of bile in the intestinal tract, it is difficult to break down nutrients. This condition is rarely seen in infants. However, when it occurs, action must be taken immediately otherwise the bile begins to damage the liver. It’s crazy to see the organ which creates bile can also be destroyed by it. Most people are aware of the ways alcohol and drug toxicity can tarnish the liver but hardly anyone considers how a liver can inflict harm to itself.
Luckily on September 29th of 1998, I received a whole new liver from an infant who had passed away. While some will believe this process is simply taking an organ out of a human being and placing it in another, it is much lengthier than it seems. They call organ transplantation a miracle for a reason. The process begins with qualifying to be on the waiting list. Every year, there are about 15,000 adults and children on the liver transplant waiting list.
In order to receive a new liver, there are two ways to obtain it: from a living donor or a deceased donor. This is no easy endeavor. Living donors are generally relatives who have similar genetic makeup. Compatibility and molecular similarity are significant in that these can contribute to the body’s first response to rejecting an organ that is not its own. If there are no known relatives or living individuals who match the recipient suitably, many will resort to waiting for a deceased donor. The wait for a deceased donor can take months or years. Individuals on the waiting list often die before they can see their dreams come to fruition.
While it is difficult to obtain a part of the liver for transplantation, the kidneys and lungs are also challenges of their own. There are over 100,000 individuals waiting for an organ and on average, 22 of those individuals die each day. The significance of organ donation is far beyond what one could imagine. It’s not just saving a life; it is giving someone a second chance to live again.
I have never met the family who graciously donated their child’s liver to me but I ensure that every day is meaningful for their daughter’s memory and the life she could have lived. In my second chance, I strive to find ways to improve the field of medicine and to hopefully, save a life in the way that doctors, nurses, therapists, and donors saved mine.
Next time you see a blood donation truck searching for blood and plasma, you never know who is going to receive the donation. Recipients can range from transplants, surgical procedures, oncology patients, and possibly your own family member or neighbor. Simply signing up to be an organ donor, donating blood, or spreading awareness is enough to save a life. People say they believe in second chances, so why not give a second chance at life?
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