Source: CVDaily Feed
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LOGAN – The first-ever living-donor liver transplant at the University of Utah hospital involved a Cache Valley family.
When Jason Clark of Nibley learned that his father Lynn Clark needed a liver transplant, he volunteered. After a car accident in 1980, 57-year-old Lynn Clark of Hyrum had a blood plasma infusion infected with hepatitis C, which cause cirrhosis. Jason said he has been sick for a long time, lost much of his mobility and was unable to walk by himself. Eventually he was told that he must have a liver transplant in order to survive. Although the risks are higher for liver donors than the more-common kidney transplants, Jason learned he was a match and wanted to be a donor. There was no hesitation.
Jason said the recent surgery lasted six hours for him and six hours for his father.
“(The doctors) were very positive,” Jason said. “They said that it went well. My liver had done what it was supposed to, my dad’s body was taking it. Everything was good with me, my body was recovering quickly and they were very positive. They kept an eye on us. I stayed in the hospital for a week, and my dad is still there.”
The Clarks hope it this will stand as an example and lead to more life-saving transplants in Utah. These days Lynn tells people that he will always have a part of his son with him.