Denny’s story of how his nephew donated part of liver to him and his recovery.

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A Dennis Mahoney / TPT Production

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Denny's Organ Donation Story

donor stories, organ donation stories, organ donation success stories, organ transplant, live donor transplant, family transplant, liver, donor list, donor list waiting, meld score, organ regenerate, Dennis J. Mahoney, Executive Director, Miracles For Life Worldwide

At 57 years old I passed out just walking around the lake. I started to throw up pure blood uncontrollably. I was rushed to the hospital and told I had what is called a GI bleed. Oh my God, what does this mean, everything now is in the hands of the Doctors at the University of Minnesota.

I have been healthy all my life and now I am in shock. Then I was told you are going on the liver transplant list and you will be monitored. You have to get sicker in order to move up on the List. The list, wow that really takes on a life of its own. You have what is called a meld score, mine stayed at around 15. In order to get a liver your score would have to be around 35. At 35 you are almost dead and I was not thinking that way. The thought of a liver transplant is scary to say the least, but the waiting is horrible.

donor stories, organ donation stories, organ donation success stories, organ transplant, live donor transplant, family transplant, liver, organ regenerate, Dennis J. Mahoney, Executive Director, Miracles For Life Worldwide

I was told if a relative would be willing to donate 60% of their liver I could have a live liver transplant. In a live transplant the donor gives 60% of his liver to the recipient and both organs regenerate. This information amazed me. Wow, what a miracle.

So enter Mathew Keiser the oldest son of my Sister Megan. Megan had passed away from cancer when Mathew was 10 years old. We had gone through that together and it was a terrible loss to everyone. When I asked Mathew if he would donate, he said yes. My mother would have wanted me to do this, and my uncle Denny was there for her as she battled cancer. How blessed am I to have this young man in my life!