Life Gift’s West Regional Managing Director Justin Johnson said a recent Baylor United Medical Center Liver Transplant in Dallas is a rare story for organ donation.
Johnson told KLBK and EverythingLubbock.com he has never heard, “A story of a selfless act of someone giving up their slot for a life-saving organ.”
Brenda Jones, 69, was on the transplant list for almost a year because of a tumor on her liver. She said she checked into Baylor United Medical Center in Dallas when she heard she was receiving a new liver.
Dallas Baylor Dr. Tiffany Anthony said Jones’ surgery team had to delay her surgery because of delays with the liver donor.
During the delay, twenty-three year old Abigail Flores was rushed into Baylor Hospital with what doctors describe as acute critical liver failure. Dallas Baylor doctors said Flores has maybe twenty-four hours to live at that moment.
Dallas Baylor doctors then approached Jones with news of Flores.
“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” Jones said. “And I wasn’t really worried about myself because I figured I’d get another liver.”
Jones gave up her opportunity for a new liver almost instantly, with never having met Flores.
“I wasn’t in immediate danger, I just had faith I’d get another liver soon,” Jones said.
Because of the transplant, Dr. Anthony said Flores is no longer in critical condition. She added that Jones received another liver transplant a few days later.
“I could never ever thank her enough for it,” Flores said. “I appreciate her each and every day that I wake up, thanks god for her every day.”
Life Gift is a non-profit organization that people can sign up with for the donor registry.
Johnson said this year has been their busiest year so far for Life Gift.
“For us, we’ve seen a huge impact as far as we approach families who have said yes whether it’s through the registry or they just feel like it’s the right thing to do,” Johnson said.
Johnson said about twelve thousand Lubbock residents are signed up for the registry.
“It’s the fastest growing registry in the nation so many people want to do the right thing and save lives with donation,” Johnson said.
Johnson added that the Lubbock office alone has seen several success stories this year alone.
“Organ and tissue donation is life saving and for us we advocate for that,” Johnson said. “Especially families that have lost a loved one, we want to make sure that we’re honoring their wishes.”
