DONOR | Anthony's Story

Anthony Pagano

Rick L. Juliano Needs A LIVING Liver DONOR

Health is the greatest wealth in life!

I have known Rick for 59 years his entire life. We grew up in the same neighborhood just houses away from each other. I am 7 years his senior. We have always been close friends and I love him dearly. No one can make me laugh like him.

In 1991, Rick left his job to work side by side with me nearly daily for 30 years, traveling the US and the world filming segments and stories for all the major television networks and corporations. These experiences have left us sharing a tapestry of life experiences that are fulfilling and unique. I have spent more time with him than anyone on earth. He is a loyal friend who I have entrusted my life to on several occasions while on assignments. He is that brother from another mother.

His dedication and perseverance to get on a donor list has been remarkable to witness. Countless physical therapy sessions, a change in diet and lifestyle, endless doctors appointments. Whatever it takes he is willing.

Watching his deterioration due to needing a new liver has been heart wrenching. We almost lost him several times due to complications of liver failure. He never has given up and rarely complains.

There are few more deserving than Rick to have a second chance thru this miraculous gift from a donor.

Ricks greatest attribute is as a parent to his son Michael. His dedication as a father knows no limitations. It is this quality that I admire most about him.

Please hear my plea to help my friend!

Rick misses his daily routine of working out to maximize his health. He was always a gym rat hitting the gym whenever he had a spare moment.

I have noticed him becoming more withdrawn socially. His self esteem has been damaged from his illness so he does participate going out into public much anymore. This is troubling as his nature is to be around all kinds of people from all walks of life.

His illness has also required him to give up the career he loves so much.

A transplant would mean a new start for Rick. It will allow him the potential to becoming a grandfather one day. It would allow him to get back some normalcy to his life. Perhaps travel again. Life would have new meaning.

Please share my story to help Rick find a living donor. Please feel free to contact me personally by e mail or cell phone and I can elaborate more. Cell 914-645-2748. Or pagano.a@icloud.com Thank you and God bless!

START YOUR JOURNEY

Become Rick L. Juliano's Donor

If you are considering being a living donor please use links below to contact Rick L. Juliano's Transplant Center. Begin by completing the donor questionnaire

Fill Out DONOR Questionnaire
(INQUIRES ARE 100% CONFIDENTIAL)

Becoming a Liver DONOR Find a Transplant Center near you

Yale New Haven Transplantation Center

333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520

(866) 925-3897 Email Transplant Center

Did you know?

Medical expenses for living organ donors are 100% covered, and inquires from potential donors are 100% confidential! Contact the Transplant Center to learn more about living donation.

More Donor FAQs

Share the Importance of Living Donation

Liver transplantation has been a successful treatment and standard of care for end-stage liver disease since the early 1980s.

Technical advancements in liver surgery, as well as the liver's tremendous ability to regenerate, have made living donor liver transplantation a life-saving reality.

There are currently 120,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the U.S. Of these, 15,000 await liver transplants.

Although more than 6,000 liver transplants were performed last year, over 1,700 patients died while waiting on the list.

Deceased donor livers are allocated to patients based on how sick they are, determined by their MELD score, where sicker patients receive priority.

Living donation offers patients the option of transplant before they get very sick--regardless of MELD score--significantly decreasing the time they wait for a liver.

Living donation not only saves the life of the recipient; it also frees up a liver for a patient on the waiting list who does not have that option.

The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease (PELD) are numerical, objective scales that allocate available livers to the sickest patients. Patients move up the list as their scores increase.

The first living donor liver transplant took place in 1988. Since then, living donors have continued giving the gift of life and making a difference.

When a recipient has a living donor, the wait time for transplant is shorter and the transplant can be scheduled in advanced when the recipient is in good health and when it is convenient for both the donor and the recipient.

Financial burdens shouldn’t prevent the gift of life. The National Living Donor Assistance Center (NLDAC) can offer financial support for living donor travel expenses.

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Anthony's Patient

Rick L.

Liver DONOR NEEDED

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