David Kong Needs A Living Liver Donor

*PLEASE SHARE*

I had hoped to have a good few more years with my liver despite the progressive damage caused by my rare auto-immune disease, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), which eventually leads to liver failure.

Unfortunately liver carcinomas (cancer) wait for no one.

I met the with the friendly team at the liver pre-transplant program at the UHN Ajmera Transplant Centre this past week to kick off my placement on the liver transplant waiting list. I am diagnosed with primary liver cancer, complicated by PSC.

This marks the beginning of my search for a courageous living liver donor, ideally with O blood type, between 16 - 60 years old, who would be willing and gracious enough to donate a portion of their liver to me to help me beat this. I would be eternally grateful to whoever can grant me this "gift of life".
.. and say "not on my watch" to cancer and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

The damage caused by PSC makes surgical removal of the tumour too risky for me. Liver cancer can grow aggressively and is known to not respond well to conventional chemotherapy drugs. PSC on its own eventually leads to liver failure.

A liver transplant gives me the best chance to survive both diseases.

Sadly, a number of patients on the transplant wait list pass away each year before a donor match can be found. There are more patients needing a transplant than available donor organs, and the wait is long.

Time works against me.

If the cancer spreads or becomes too aggressive I can no longer receive a life saving transplant. If I become too sick for the surgery, the transplant can be denied.

Living liver donation offers the best chance for survival. It allows the surgery to be scheduled sooner, lowering the risk of a patients health deteriorating before surgery. Livers from living donors also tend to be healthier, leading to better outcomes.

Living donors do not need to be related to the recipient and the donation can be completely anonymous.

Living donation also benefits others on the wait list. Having one less person on the list increases their chances of receiving a transplant.

The liver is able to regenerate itself which makes living liver donation possible. After a portion of a donors liver is removed and transplanted, it rapidly regrows to almost normal size in both the donor and recipient within a few months. Then growth slows slightly as it regains its normal size. I've read normal liver function can return in 2-3 weeks, before the liver has fully regrown.

If you, or anyone you know, are willing to see if you could be a match for me, or want to know more about living liver donation or how you can help, please reach out to the UHN Living Donor Transplant Program. They can answer any and all questions.

Their website has a lot of information, including frequently asked questions (FAQ), and a Living Donor information guide:

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UHN Living Liver Donor Assessment Office
Phone: 416 340 4800 ext. 6581
Email: [email protected]

[https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Pages/living_liver_donor.aspx]
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Application Form
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A direct link to their donor assessment application form is here:

[http://uhnlivingdonor.ca]

It is an extensive document so they can carefully screen candidates. It requests you indicate your blood type and the intended recipients name and date of birth. That would be Davidson Kong, born September 15th, 1976.

If you don't know your blood type you can find out with a simple blood test. You can ask your doctor for a lab requisition for the test or you can reach out to your local blood donation program -- they check your blood type before you can donate. Donors do not necessarily need to be a match. The Living Donor Program may assess whether Paired Donation is possible (more on that below).

Any donor pre-assessment tests, the surgery, and the in-hospital stay are covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan).

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Information Sessions & Donor Experiences
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The UHN Centre for Living Donation hosts monthly online information sessions for potential living liver donors. They can also set up sessions with past donors and transplant recipients allowing you can talk with them about their experience.

Links are available on their web page or you can look here:

[https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/the-centre-for-living-organ-donation-at-uhn-18428442380]

Their recent media campaign highlights stories from living donors and transplant recipients, and the impact living donation can have. Definitely check it out:

[https://www.greatactions.ca]

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Reimbursements
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The Trillium Gift of Life Network funds a reimbursement program (Program for Reimbursing Expenses of Living Organ Donors [PRELOD]) for potential or actual living donors that can cover reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (travel, parking, meals, accommodation and loss of income) incurred during the assessment and donation process:

[https://www.giftoflife.on.ca/en/transplant.htm]
(Look about 3/4 the way down the webpage)

The Living Donor Program also reviews out of province and out of country applicants, and they can provide information about reimbursement options available outside of Ontario.

Their GiveLifeUHN Travel and Accommodation Program has supports for flights, ground transportation, hotel stays and meals for living donors, recipients, and accompanying caregivers, who must
travel to Toronto for the medical appointments
and donation or transplant surgery. For details email
[email protected].

[https://fb.watch/o3huPaTa4X/?mibextid=NnVzG8]

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Paired Donation
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The UHN Living Donor Program accepts potential donors who don't have a matching blood type to their intended recipient. In some cases they can offer Paired Liver Donation, where prospective donors can swap who they donate to because they are a match for each others intended recipients. That way both patients can get the type of liver they need.

[https://www.uhn.ca/corporate/News/Pages/I_have_the_utmost_admiration_for_living_donors.aspx]

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To anyone who applies or spreads the word, thank you so much. I am profoundly grateful for your help.

If you are unable to be a potential living donor for me, please consider registering with the Trillium Gift of Life program or your local organ donation program. That single selfless act may help save peoples lives.

[https://www.giftoflife.on.ca/en/]