In a compelling tale of survival and redemption, a West Michigan man by the name of Stanley Swch is using his life-altering experience to raise awareness about the perils of excessive alcohol consumption. In July 2018, Stanley, then in the throes of severe abdominal pain during the dead of night, was confronted with a grim prognosis by medical professionals: his years of heavy drinking had culminated in cirrhosis of the liver, and without immediate lifestyle adjustments, a bleak future awaited.
Stanley’s history with alcohol began at an alarmingly young age — tapping and drinking draught beer from kegs in his parents’ bar was an early and frequent occurrence. This precarious relationship with alcohol persisted over the decades, eventually ravaging his liver. Cirrhosis, he discovered, can be a silent predator, often revealing itself only through subtle symptoms like fatigue or more alarming indicators such as jaundice and darkened urine. The urgent advice from his doctors was clear: quit drinking for six months and hope to survive long enough to be added to the transplant list.
Demonstrating remarkable resolve, Stanley refrained from alcohol entirely — even eschewing mouthwash with alcohol content. His dedication paid off when he was placed on the transplant list, only to learn soon after that he also needed a kidney. Fortuitously, Stanley received both a liver and kidney from a donor, a woman in her 50s from East Lancing who suffered a massive stroke. He regards her as an angel who enabled his second chance at life.
Now, clothed in a T-shirt bearing a poignant message on the losses incurred through alcohol, Stanley champions a cautionary tale. He expresses immense gratitude for his renewed lease on life and urges others to heed the warning signs related to liver health. Medical experts in Grand Rapids, like Shannon from Henry Ford Health, stress moderation in drinking and caution that conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol can significantly exacerbate the effects of alcohol, leading to liver cirrhosis. The narrative serves as both a personal redemption story and a public health lesson.
