Teresa Hendon - Living Liver Transplant Recipient
Fifteen years ago, Teresa Hendon’s liver was failing. She was told
her only hope for life would be a liver transplant. Teresa was placed on
the transplant list and began the potentially long wait for a donor
liver. The transplant team at University Health System was thinking
beyond. Because of the unique expertise of the transplant team, Teresa
had another life-saving option: a living donor. If she could find a
volunteer willing and able to donate half of their living organ to
Teresa, they could perform a living donor liver transplant.
Teresa had devoted her life to helping others as a member
of the sheriff’s department. When they learned of her situation, twenty
people immediately volunteered for major surgery to save Teresa’s life.
But Teresa became ill and was too sick for the transplant.
So the team at University Health System made it their mission to make
Teresa healthy enough for surgery. It took a year. Her friend Mark was
selected as the donor: the right age, the right blood type, her perfect
match.
And today, because the transplant team at University Health
System looked beyond standard treatments, Teresa has an exceptional
second chance at life.