Juan Velasco, a retired water distribution operator from Eureka, California, was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, which required a liver transplant. After learning that UC Davis Health had started a new liver transplant program, Velasco was immediately added to the national organ donor registry. Surprisingly, after just one week, doctors informed Velasco that they had found a liver for him. The successful liver transplant surgery took place at UC Davis Medical Center, and Velasco is now enjoying his retirement back home in Rio Dell, Northern California.
The new liver transplant program at UC Davis Health was established to address the issue of transplant access for patients awaiting a liver transplant. The program extends care to adults with liver disease throughout Northern California and aims to provide a valuable resource for the community. The liver transplant program at UC Davis Health is approved by the United Network for Organ Sharing, and it encompasses a 65,000-square-mile area serving patients in 33 counties. Juan Velasco’s successful liver transplant experience highlights the crucial impact of organ donation and the lifesaving potential of new transplant programs.
