A California man has offered to give away his pickup truck, a trailer and one of his kidneys in exchange for a section of liver that would save his wife's life.
Doctors diagnosed Marie Robinson, 61, with cirrhosis of the liver about three years ago. She is one of 18,000 people on an organ transplant waiting list, Fox affiliate KMPH.com reported.
Worried that she won't get a donor in time, her husband, Verlon, 55, has offered up his 2004 Dodge pickup truck, a tent trailer and one of his "good kidneys" to anyone who can help his sick wife.
"We have been married for 25 years and it breaks my heart when I think about losing her," he wrote in a Facebook post. "I would do anything to trade places with her but as you know that's impossible. So please if you are O positive or negative blood type and would consider giving her some of your liver we have insurance that would cover all surgeries. Ps. I have good kidneys and I would throw in one," he said.
After the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center, which is treating Marie, alerted Verlon that he couldn't offer material goods in exchange for an organ, he updated his status to clarify that he had "taken my truck and trailer off the market.... However, they did say I could still offer my kidney. So kidney is still out there."
The couple often makes the three-hour trip from their home in Sanger, California, to San Francisco so Marie can attend appointments.
"There are so many people out there that are sick and need help, and I am just one of them. I just have a wonderful husband who is willing to give it all," Marie told KMPH.
Liver cirrhosis occurs when the organ becomes damaged, tries to repair itself and scar tissue forms, making it unable to function properly. Symptoms of the condition include fatigue, bleeding and bruising easily, itchy skin, jaundice, confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech. But these are generally not noticeable until the organ is very damaged.
Verlon told KMPH.com that Marie is becoming more confused and forgets who or where she is more often.
The San Francisco medical center accepts organ donation applications on its website. As the liver is uniquely able to regenerate itself, a piece of the organ can safely be donated. Within eight weeks, the donor's liver is generally back to its normal size.
As well as matching the recipient's blood type, donors must meet certain criteria, including being between 18 and 55, a healthy weight and no major illnesses. They also can't smoke for six weeks before surgery.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Kashmira Gander is Deputy Science Editor at Newsweek. Her interests include health, gender, LGBTQIA+ issues, human rights, subcultures, music, and lifestyle. Her work has also been published in the The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, The i Newspaper, the London Evening Standard and International Business Times UK.
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