[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/01\/bob-and-gary-living-donation\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/01\/bob-and-gary-living-donation\/","headline":"‘You View Life Differently:’ Gary and Robert’s Living Donation Story","name":"‘You View Life Differently:’ Gary and Robert’s Living Donation Story","description":"In 2016, Bob and Gary underwent a successful living-donor liver transplant. Learn more about their story. ","datePublished":"2018-01-12","dateModified":"2022-11-02","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/transplant","name":"Transplant Services","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/transplant","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/transplant-services\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Bob-and-Gary.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Bob-and-Gary.png","height":549,"width":1494},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/01\/bob-and-gary-living-donation\/","about":["Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":250,"keywords":["ldlt","living donation"],"articleBody":"Robert Healy had a young daughter, a new baby on the way, and a busy work schedule \u2014 plenty to keep him busy.But a keen sense of dedication and love for his extended family motivated him to take one more challenge: Saving his father-in-law’s life.While sitting in the kitchen on the phone with their family, Robert learned that Gary was sick and in need of a liver transplant.Robert’s first response was, “Can I be your donor?”Learn more about living donor transplants at UPMC.\u201cAt first no one said anything. So, I asked again if I could do it,\u201d Robert says. “I am sure they didn\u2019t want to burden my family. But we\u2019re family, so to me, it was a no-brainer.\u201dThe number of people on the\u00a0liver transplant waiting list grows each day, and, unfortunately, those who do not have a living donor must continue to wait for a deceased donor’s organ to become available. But living liver donors like Robert ensure patients on the liver transplant list can receive a life-saving transplant sooner, before their disease progresses to a severe stage.RELATED: Your Living Donor Transplant: 3 Steps to Finding a Living DonorIn 2016, Robert and Gary underwent a successful living-donor liver transplant. Today, they’re thriving.\u201cIt feels great,\u201d Gary says. \u201cIt was a gift, and you certainly view life differently once you have this done.\u201dEditor's Note: This video was originally published on January 12, 2018, and was last reviewed on November 2, 2022."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2018","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"01","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/\/01\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"‘You View Life Differently:’ Gary and Robert’s Living Donation Story","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2018\/01\/bob-and-gary-living-donation\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]