Meet Lisa and Bob

Recipient Name: Lisa Keezer Age: 35 Transplanted Organ: Liver Donor Name: Robert Bonner, Jr., Lisa's brother

Finding out that you need an organ transplant can be challenging, even for someone who works in the medical profession. As a dedicated pediatric nurse, Lisa Keezer received the news at the age of 30.

Two years after being diagnosed with a rare liver disorder called Budd-Chiari Syndrome, Lisa’s condition progressed to the point that the blood vessels surrounding her liver had become blocked, resulting in cirrhosis of the liver. Almost overnight, Lisa went from actively participating in life as a committed caregiver to being a patient in need of a liver transplant.

After suffering life-threatening esophageal bleeds, Lisa was put at the top of the transplant list, but unfortunately no match became available. At this point, Lisa’s brother Bob stepped forward with an offer to help his sister. Fortunately Bob proved to be a perfect donor match. “My brother Bob selflessly put his life on the line to help save mine,” Lisa says.

On June 10, 2003, living donor transplant surgery was performed on Lisa and Bob at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. During the procedure, 60% of Bob’s liver was successfully donated to Lisa. Within three weeks, Lisa was doing so well that she was able to talk to Bob’s fourth-grade students about transplantation via a live video link from the hospital.

Perhaps because of her medical background, Lisa understands how important it is to take her medications exactly as her doctor prescribes. Her commitment to her treatment is likely one of the reasons she has not had any complications since her surgery. Lisa has also tolerated her medications with minimal side effects.

Because her medications are working so well for her, Lisa makes sure that when she visits the pharmacy, she receives the specific drugs her doctor has prescribed. As she explains, “I do not want to change anything with my medications.”

Since the drugs she takes are crucial to the survival of her transplanted liver, Lisa has educated herself on the need to maintain medication consistency. Lisa has read that a small change can diminish the effectiveness of some medications or cause unwanted side effects, which means that a patient might not get the full benefit of his or her treatment. “I do not want to take that risk with my transplant,” she says.

Since her transplant six years ago, Lisa has gone back to work full-time, married, participated in the US Transplant Games, and recently welcomed a healthy baby girl into her family. Today, Lisa is not only a successful, long-term transplant recipient, she is also an activist for the transplant community.

Lisa is supporting legislation in her state that protects doctors’ rights to choose anti-rejection medications. As Lisa explains, “I have received the gift of an organ, and am fully committed to keeping it healthy.”