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More than 100,000 seriously ill people in the United States are waiting for an organ transplant that could save their life. Yet the number of such success stories is limited by how few donor organs are available.
An important breakthrough that can save many more lives is living-donor transplantation of certain organs. To aid a patient with a failing liver, for instance, a surgeon need remove only a portion of the organ from a matching donor. Because the miraculous liver regenerates — the only organ that does so — both the donor and patient have full-size livers again in just a few months. Medical expenses are typically covered by the patient's insurance.
One of the largest living-donor organ transplant programs in the country is just off the Magnificent Mile, at Northwestern Medicine. The hospital offers
extensive information about the living-donor program, including how to find out if you're a good match to become an organ donor.
The need could not be more critical for one DePaul faculty member and alumna, Jennifer Galka, whose husband, Adam, is in dire need of a new liver.
Learn more about Adam's story online, including some early steps you can take to become a donor.