Living Liver Donor Sought By Fredericksburg Couple
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FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Ian Galvin does not drink. He does not smoke. His biggest indulgence is probably the occasional large pizza, Galvin’s wife, Brittni, told Patch. Regardless, Ian has developed cirrhosis of the liver.
It was a matter of time caused by genetics, doctors told the Galvin family. Now, Ian, father of two, needs a new liver from a generous donor.
The liver is the only organ in the body that can fully regrow. A liver donor does not have to come from the recipient’s family — they don’t even have to share the same blood type, in Ian’s case.
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“It was incredibly shocking. We were just a week from our 11th wedding anniversary,” Brittni told Patch. “When most people hear ‘liver disease’ or ‘cirrhosis’ their immediate thought is due to alcoholism. Ian had to go through an onslaught of testing, plus repeatedly telling doctors he did not consume alcohol. Doctors were also baffled about him having cirrhosis — then finding out he needed a transplant was life changing.”
On a Friday night in November 2022, Ian started feeling sick. Four days later, he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the emergency room. He was transferred from Mary Washington Hospital to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
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After an array of tests, doctors told Ian his liver was scarred. He would need a transplant.
In September, after a few hospital stays scattered throughout 2023, doctors gave the Galvins the go-ahead to search for a living donor. Up to 60 percent of a donor’s liver can be removed for transplant.
“The doctors told us if we found a donor, the transplant surgery could happen as quick as two to three weeks,” Brittni said. “At the time, it was very close to two important life events and we wanted to make sure Ian was present.”
The Galvins originally only shared the search for a donor with a few close friends and family members. At a recent checkup, doctors urged the Galvins to spread their search far and wide.
“They mentioned Facebook, car decals, etc. — anything to find him a donor,” Brittni said. “They are very optimistic with his age (40), that he will have a LONG full life.”
Anyone interested in liver or kidney donation can contact VCU Health’s donation coordinators at 804-828-2762. More information about living organ donation is available online.
What’s Involved In Liver Transplant Donation Process
Dr. Vinay Kumaran is the surgical director of living liver donor transplants at the VCU Health Hume-Lee Transplant Center. Kumaran told Patch about the donation process.
The pair told Patch that they are seeing an increasing number of “altruistic donors,” living organ donors who have no prior relationship with the recipient.
Kumaran noted that they encourage patients to find a “living donor champion” who can advocate for them as they look for a living donor. Brittni Galvin, though she may not claim the title, is Ian’s champion.
The recovery process for donors can be “quick and painless,” Kumaran told Patch. In 2023, VCU Health started performing robotic surgeries for some donors. The robot is still controlled by a surgeon, but the new technology leads to less pain, less bleeding, less scarring, and a faster recovery.
Prospective donors have to undergo testing to ensure they’re a fit for the surgery. These medical, physical, and emotional tests confirm the volunteer can safely donate a portion of their liver. The donation process can happen as quickly as three weeks after testing begins.
The donor’s liver fully grow backs. After surgery, donors typically spend about a week in the hospital for observation. They start feeling normal again after four to six weeks.
This month, Brittni Galvin took to Facebook to search for a donor for Ian. Her post was shared more than 350 times in less than a week.
She said the community response has been “overwhelming.”
“We couldn’t believe it would get shared by 100 people, let alone shared by 350 people,” Brittni said. “We have had about 10 individuals offer to start the process to see if they could be a donor for Ian! A few are friends, a few are strangers. We know of one who has at least gotten past the preliminary questionnaire!”
Though the process can move more quickly, it typically takes about two months for a donor to complete the evaluation process and undergo surgery.
Ian Galvin still needs a living liver donor. Brittni said she wishes more people understand that their liver can fully grow back after donation.
“Doctors have repeatedly told us that we don’t need a blood match for Ian! Which offers us a wider range of people to offer their donation,” Brittni said. “We wish that was the case for a ‘sick liver.’ We understand the incredible sacrifice it can be to be a living donor.”
The Galvins said they are very grateful to work with VCU Health throughout this process, but they can’t wait to have this experience behind them.
“We are very grateful for their progressiveness in getting Ian on the mend to live a long, healthy life,” Brittni said. “Ian is doing well as he can be, with different procedures he’s had over the last year. We hope this liver donation and transplant surgery will be just what we need to have him around for many, many years.”
VCU Health officials told Patch that living organ donation is the best option for recipients. Some patients spend so much time on waiting lists that they are too sick by the time a donor is available.
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