Questions about becoming a living liver donor

[kelseygwynne]

I don't know the person I'm thinking about donating to. A friend posted a link on Facebook about a professor in my state with 5 kids that needs a healthy donor--who WOULDN'T consider it. I am 21, healthy, have the same blood type. My only worry is that I am only 5'5--he is 5'11. I don't know how much of a problem this would be.

Here are my main concerns:
I'm afraid my friends and family may not understand why I would do this for someone I don't even know and will try to discourage me.

I have school in August--if the operation isn't a good amount of time before then, what if I can't do it? What if he can't wait?

I'm not really worried about health risks or anything. I'm young and strong and I know it'll regenerate and be fine. I just don't know how to convince everyone else of that and I don't know if I'm crazy for wanting to do this for someone I've never met. It just seems right.

[Fr Pat]

Dear "Kelseygwynne",
     Congratulations on your willingness to consider becoming a living liver-lobe donor. I hope you will continue getting well-informed about the surgery and its risks.
     I myself am a kidney donor (10 years ago) but have read a lot about liver-lobe donation as well. You have noted that you are "not really worried about health risks or anything." It can, of course, be fine to choose not to worry, but only if you are well aware of the risks involved. Liver donation has a much higher rate of complications and deaths than kidney donation does, and the recovery time is longer. So with regard to school it is wise to consider the possibility of having to miss some if there are complications or the necesity to re-operate to correct them.
     I'm not trying to discourage you, but just encourageing you to read up carefully on the risks involved.
     Please let us know how things go.
   best wishes,
        Fr. Pat