There is a growing need for living organ donors. Currently, more than 17 thousand patients are registered on the United Network for Organ Sharing's (UNOS) waiting list for a liver, and more than 61 thousand patients waiting for a kidney. Responding to that need, the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute is focusing on expanding its living organ donor program.

"There is an enormous need for living donors," explained Barry Marshall, administrator for the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute. "Each year more people are placed on the waiting list, and there are never enough organs. The gap between people who need a kidney and deceased donors continues to widen and will continue to widen. The only way to get the needed kidneys is through living donors. To that end, we plan to grow our transplant program from our projected 137 transplants this year to 220 by 2009."

To date, The Methodist University Transplant Institute has performed 15 liver transplants this year, one of which was a living donor liver transplant. The institute has performed 46 kidney transplants this year, nine of which were living donor kidney transplants. Terry Weatherington came to the Methodist University Transplant Institute in February for his living liver donor transplant surgery. His niece, June Davis, gave him 60 percent of her liver.

"I knew how critical he was, and I'm the same blood type as he is, and I just couldn't see any reason not to," said Davis.

The liver is the only organ that grows back. The size of the recipient determines how much of the liver is removed from the donor. A small child usually needs 20 to 25 percent of an adult liver. A larger child needs 30 to 35 percent of the liver. An adult usually receives the right lobe of the donor's liver, which makes up 50 to 55 percent of the liver.

"The liver starts to regenerate as soon as we cut it and the regeneration continues and is complete at about two months," said Hosein Shokouh-Amiri, M.D., transplant surgeon at the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute and professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Davis has a strong religious faith and her faith played a role in her decision to donate, a decision she says that was easy to make.

"I am a Christian by faith and I discussed being an organ donor with my father, the Lord, and he told me it was the right thing to do and to go ahead with the surgery and we would be fine," said Davis.

Davis and Weatherington are both doing well and feeling great. Weatherington's wife, Delores, says their niece's gift was more precious than any words can ever convey.

"We were just so blessed," she said, "I feel like it's a miracle that came our way."

Terry is glad the wait for a new liver is over. He says the long, 4-year wait was not easy.

"It's kind of like a rollercoaster ride," described Terry. "I'd get a call the hospital had a liver and I'd go to the hospital and get ready and find out the liver wasn't any good."

The doctor has told Terry to get more exercise, so he's started walking and he's looking forward to getting back to his golf game.

To learn more about organ donation and being a living organ donor, contact the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute at 516-7070.

Methodist University Transplant Institute is nationally known for its success with kidney, liver, kidney-pancreas, pancreas, and islet transplants. The program is dedicated to improving the quality of life and the life expectancy for its transplant patients through research breakthroughs, excellence in surgical techniques and meticulous post-operative care. The Institute was moved to Methodist University Hospital in July 2004 when UT Bowld Hospital closed, so that research and patient care could continue to grow.