A Priceless Christmas Gift

Matt Pace went into surgery at 7:00 a.m. Erin Pace Kofoed followed at 10:00 a.m. 

When Erin was 17, she attempted to donate blood but was rejected because of high liver enzymes. In one more attempt to donate blood, she was rejected for the same reason but had no idea she had a severe liver disease. 

Erin carried on her life as a normal young woman would: continued her education, met and married Spencer Kofoed, and started a family. After the birth of their first child, Abby, she was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), a chronic liver disease characterized by a slow hardening of the bile ducts leading to cirrhosis and eventual liver failure. There is no treatment for PSC except liver transplantation.

Walter Peyton, Chicago Bears running back, died of the same disease at the young age of 45.

Struggling with symptoms, she added four healthy boys to their family. This year at the age of 42, when the youngest, Isaac is 7 years old, the symptoms of jaundice, itching, swelling and fatigue, were overwhelming. Her doctors put her on a national liver transplant list. The chances, however, of getting a transplant from a deceased donor were very limited.

This began a search for a road less traveled, a living donor. This is an arduous process as the donor must be healthy, a have the right anatomy and a big enough liver to enable them to give the smaller portion to a smaller donor. This was made more complicated because Erin has 0 negative blood.

Family members readily volunteered, and a perfect match was found in Erin’s brother Matt.

Matt, an ecommerce intelligence professional, had good size, good health, and a liver that with a litter work would be ideal. His liver, however, showed elevated cholesterol and more fatty cells than the doctors wanted. As Erin’s health declined, Matt went on a rigorous regime to get his liver into better shape. He went on a diet and for three months, ran over 300 miles and peddled over 600 miles on his road bike. 

It was the week of Thanksgiving and everything was ready. The 8-hour operations were performed during which Erin’s entire diseased liver was removed and replaced with 40% of Matt’s liver. When coming out of recovery and able to speak intelligently, Matt’s first words were, "How’s my sister?" 

Erin’s operation was very successful. She was holding her own. 

Matt was released from the hospital within three days, rather than 7-10 days that was expected, and is now back home with his family. Erin was released after one week in the hospital, which is about a week earlier than expected. But already her symptoms are subsiding. Her jaundice is gone. Her itchy skin is gone, swelling is decreasing and she feels stronger every day. In 3-4 weeks, both of their partial livers will regrow to full size. Truly a human body miracle. 

Of the unselfish donation, Erin says, “The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do is to ask someone to endure pain and suffering and risk their own life to save mine. It’s an incredibly humbling experience to realize that someone loves you enough to do something for you that’s impossible for you to do yourself. Matt’s gift to me has given me my life back and it is a gift that can never be repaid. I cannot think of a greater act of love than the one I’ve just received.”

Modest brother Matt said, “It breaks your heart to see someone you love suffer with disease or illness. Thoughts and prayers are often the most support we can offer. I’m feel blessed to have had this rare opportunity where I could give my sister a little bit of myself to help her overcome her disease and have a better quality of life.”

At this Christmas season, Matt gave Erin and Spencer a priceless gift: the Gift of Life. 

With all the silver bells, the tinsel, the lights, and the store-bought gifts, the gift of life is the most precious gift of all. 

John 15:13 says, “Greater love that no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” and in this case, his sister and her family. 

Thank you, Matt for the gift of life. No price tag can be attached to this gift. 

As a side note, when the final analysis was done on Matt’s liver, the initial reading of high liver fat was inaccurate. It was a mistake. His liver was great, one of the best livers the doctors had ever seen. Matt admits he didn’t mind the incentive to lose 20 pounds. 

Below is Erin with her husband, Spencer Kofoed.  

Merry Christmas. May this story inspire you to cherish the moments you spend with your loved ones.

Karla Brandau is the CEO of Brandau Power Institute. She helps managers become the person people CHOOSE to follow, not have to follow because of their place on the organizational chart. For a complimentary consultation, call 770-923-0883.

www.EarnTheGift.com | www.KarlaBrandau.com

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