Trevor Pursifull – Liver Recipient

[lightbox link=”http://www.trustforlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/trevor31.png” thumb=”http://www.trustforlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/trevor31-161×300.png” width=”161″ align=”center” title=”trevor3″ frame=”true” icon=”image”]In 2006, Trevor was diagnosed with liver adnoma.  We don’t know why or where it came from.  It was devastating for our family.  In his first surgery, to remove part of his liver, he bled out.  They had to place a shunt and give him a lot of blood.  They ended up taking out 80% of his liver.  Which was tough on the rest of his body and organs.  He survived because he is a fighter, but the doctors kept an eye on him.

After 4 – 5 years, it came back – and worse.  This time it was malignant, but there was no more liver to resect.  A liver transplant was his only hope.  He was put on the list.  For 7 months, our son continued to get worse.  It started as a golf ball size mass, and then engulfed his entire liver.  He had already decided that he wasn’t going to get chemo, so a transplant was truly our only chance.

On May 14, 2013, Mother’s Day, we got the call.  There was a match for our son.  A hero chose to save his life through donation.

His transplant surgery lasted 17 long hours.  They had to remove the cancer-ridden liver, and replace it with a new, healthy liver.   Today, his liver is doing great!  We are still recovering, of course, and it’s a long road, but we are so grateful for his donor and the donor’s family.  Trevor already wrote a letter.  He told them how he was so sorry for their loss, but the person they lost, was his hero.  He wrote about how he can now live and graduate with his friends.  Although their loved one isn’t here on earth, Trevor wrote, “He lives on with me.”

Trevor is a wonderful supporter of this mission.  He wants to do a walk and encourage everyone to register as a donor.  He’s already talked to the kids during Life Is Cool about how important organ donation is – and that his donor was his hero.  Organ donation saved his life.

Organ donation – Trevor’s transplant – was our family’s only hope.  We are so grateful for this gift.

Now our family wants everyone to know how important and easy it is to register as a donor.  Simply say YES at the Circuit Clerk’s office when you get your license renewed.  It gives hope to so many families, just like ours, waiting for a transplant.

– Jodi Pursifull, Trevor’s Mom