Eric is a liver recipient passionate about inspiring those in the transplant community and educating individuals about becoming organ, eye, and tissue donors. Eric’s transplant journey began during the pandemic as a routine procedure took an unexpected turn.
While living in Honolulu, Eric went in for a routine colonoscopy for his Crohn’s disease, which he had been putting off for five years. There was a mix-up with the procedure, and the doctor performed imaging instead. The tech noticed spots on Eric’s liver and alerted the doctor. The decision was made to biopsy the liver immediately, and it was discovered that 28-year-old Eric had Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), a terminal Cancer! There was no cirrhosis of the liver whatsoever, which, given Eric’s diagnosis, is rare for an HCC patient. This was not what Eric had expected at all when he headed to the doctor, but thankfully, the decision to go to the doctor that day saved his life.
After his diagnosis, Eric headed to UTSW in Dallas, TX, for a second opinion. The doctors immediately suggested a liver transplant, and on 12/11/2021, he received his lifesaving liver transplant! Since his transplant, he has maximized every opportunity to travel the country, and in 2022, Eric met Chris Klug in Aspen and was inspired to help others in the community with his journey and encourage individuals to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors.
