Juan Velasco, a retired water distribution operator from Eureka, California, recently underwent a life-saving liver transplant at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. Velasco had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and was told that a transplant was his only treatment option. However, the hospital in Eureka did not have the necessary resources or specialists to provide further treatment.
After his condition continued to deteriorate, Velasco’s family learned about the new liver transplant program at UC Davis Health and immediately sought treatment there. Within one week, Velasco received the news that a liver was available for him. The surgeons at UC Davis successfully performed the transplant, giving Velasco a second chance at life. Velasco expressed his gratitude towards the organ donor and recognized the impact of organ donation on many lives.
UC Davis Transplant Center is an established leader in organ transplantation and has been selected as a model hospital by UNOS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The liver transplant program at UC Davis serves patients from a large area, covering 33 counties in Northern California.