DONOR | Fred's Story

Fred Matyiku

John Bresnahan Needs A LIVING Liver DONOR

Looking for a bit of help to find Jack’s miracle. I know it’s out there!

I have known Jack for almost 10 years. And unfortunately, his life quality has been affected in some fashion by his health almost his entire life. And what makes Jack different is that he is that person we all know who deserves a break, a real chance and the opportunity to not worry about his health 24/7/365. Why? Because for starters he his is only 30 YO. Jack is also that person who we know that really cares about others. Jack is the guy who has done more for others in that short time than most people do ever. He is that guy that the world needs and thoughts know what he deserves more. His dedication to his own health is so admirable and I have never seen him complain. He is a role model for all of us.

Jack his had to miss out on a ton of stuff that would not be considered “special activities” but what we daily life. But yes, Jack has to give up on a multitude of outdoor activities that he loves as well as day to day things because of his liver situation. It does not seem fair! . But as far as how he has adapted or how I see him cope. I see him use his “down time” to read extensively and he keeps a journal at a most enviable pace more. Again he does this more so than anyone I have ever met.

Jack would be the most grateful recipient of a liver transplant and would continue to do more good for the people in his daily life as well for the people Jack would come in contact forever. I truly believe that. Nobody I know would be a better ambassador for organ donation than Jack.

If you know me, you know I am not the guy reaching out asking for help for me. I am asking people who know Jack or my daughter Joey, my wife Susan, or anyone in our circle to just pass the word about the positive affects of live Liver Donation. The positive affects do not stop with and for just the recipients and their families. The good karma that is spread can ripple out in a huge circle for generations. I can only ask people to pass on the word of how wonderful live Liver Donation is and hope for a miracle for Jack and the 1000’s & 1000’s of others who are out there.

START YOUR JOURNEY

Become John Bresnahan's Donor

If you are considering being a living donor please use links below to contact John Bresnahan'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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Fred's Patient

John

Liver DONOR NEEDED

After five years of searching, a liver transplant is an opportunity to live the life we love, unencumbered by end stage liver disease.

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