Matt Needs a Liver

Matt’s Story 
“As many of you are aware, I have a liver condition and my doctors have recommended that I get a liver transplant. I am currently on the national liver transplant waitlist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. This is the only option for me to have a better and longer life. Because of my liver condition, my quality of life has decreased significantly. I have to have many tests, procedures and doctor visits. I often cannot do the things I enjoy most in life. My best option is to receive a transplant from a living donor. With this type of surgery, a family member or acquaintance donates a part of their liver to me. In only a few months, my donor's remaining liver the piece I receive will grow again. Research shows that patients who receive a living donor have better survival in the long term, as they can undergo surgery before they become too sick. Although this is hard for me to ask, if you feel this is something you could do, please consider becoming a living donor for me. Please know that if you don't feel comfortable with living donation, it will not affect our relationship in any way. If you would like more information about living liver donation, the Living Liver Donor Transplant team at Penn is able to answer any and all questions. Any donor who is interested in pursuing the living donor process should go the the application website: www.penntransplant.donorscreen.org. This health screening questionnaire is the first step in the living donor process and donors will be guided once they complete the screening. The Living Donor Transplant phone line at Penn is (215) [phone redacted] if your donor has any questions prior to completing the application. As always, thank you for your caring and concern. Sincerely, Matt Barry”