A San Diego woman’s life has been transformed through a unique type of liver transplant. Erin Roberts, who was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called primary biliary cholangitis in 2018, found herself too sick to qualify for a deceased liver donor. However, the UC San Diego Health Center for Transplantation provided an alternative solution through their Living Liver Donation Program. Roberts’s brother-in-law, Henry O’Loughlin, volunteered and donated part of his liver to her. The surgeries were successful, and Roberts immediately experienced a significant improvement in her health and quality of life.
Dr. Veeral Ajmera, the medical director of liver transplantation and associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego Health, highlighted the regenerative ability of the liver, which makes living liver transplants possible for patients with liver disease. He hopes this inspiring story will increase awareness and encourage more people to consider becoming living organ donors. O’Loughlin’s liver is expected to regenerate to its original size, and both he and Roberts value the unique bond and connection they now share as a result of the transplant.
This remarkable success story exemplifies the life-saving potential of living organ transplantation and reinforces UC San Diego Health’s reputation as a national hub for clinical expertise and research in transplantation. The program offers hope to individuals like Roberts, who may not qualify for traditional deceased organ donors but can benefit greatly from the generosity of living donors. By raising awareness, more lives can be transformed, and the transplantation program can continue to make a profound difference in people’s lives.
