You Can Save A Merrick Life With A Liver Donation; Yours Will Regrow

MERRICK, NY — David Mogel admits it’s “a big ask” of his neighbors in Merrick, where he and wife, Amy, have spent their entire adult lives and raised their son, Max.

The retired 67-year-old corporate attorney needs a liver transplant. Without it, “I will die,” he told Patch matter-of-factly.

Five years ago, Mogel was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, or AIH, a chronic liver disease that causes the body’s immune system to mistakenly attack healthy liver cells. He had been in remission, but in July, “my blood numbers drastically changed,” he said.

“The fact is, I will get sicker, and the sicker I get, the harder it will be to recover,” Mogel siad. “When you’re on the verge of death, they’ll move you on the transplant list, but it becomes much harder, and the chance you’ll get a liver that’s not a wonderful match is also higher.”

So, the sooner a transplant can take place, the better, he said.

About 1,400 people die every year waiting for liver transplants, and about 10,000 people across the country are waiting for a liver at any given time. With a donor registry doesn’t work in his favor, the Mogels decided to seek a humanitarian donor.

They’ll cover the transplant expenses. And they want their neighbors to know the liver is a highly remarkable organ, the only internal organ capable of regeneration, or regrowing lost tissue and restoring its original size and function,

Still, “it’s a big ask,” Mogel said again. “You’re asking someone to have abdominal surgery.”

[Information on how to help is found at the end of this story.]

Mogel’s case is rare to begin with — the odds of getting it are 1 in 100,000 — and it’s rarer still that AIH is a disease mainly affects women. Only 25 percent of cases are among males. On top of that, “most people with AIH don’t need a transplant; it’s only about 20 percent,” Mogel said.

“I really hit the lottery,” he joked.

Who Are The Mogels?

Amy Mogel shared her family’s story for Patch People, a recurring feature whose aim is to help us all feel a bit more connected. Below, in Amy’s words, is the Mogel family’s message to the community:

“I was quadriplegic until the age of 14 years. When I met my future husband, David, at Hofstra University, we were both 18 years old. I was still intermittently using a wheelchair.

“David didn’t care.

“He didn’t care when the doctors said I should never have a kid (they were wrong there; we have one), and he didn’t care when I couldn’t work full-time because then I couldn’t walk.

“David has a weird sense of humor, loves being in nature, woodworking, hiking, watching ‘Rick and Morty,’ reading, funny graphic t-shirts, and being with the family. He still doesn’t care that we can’t do a lot of things he loves because I can’t walk that day.

“David is my rock, my person. He has always taken care of me. Now it’s my turn.

“Five years ago, David was diagnosed with AIH (Autoimmune Hepatitis). It causes the liver to not function properly, causing a myriad of symptoms, including exhaustion, low platelets, confusion, chills, itchiness, etc.

“For five years, David was stable and able to do the things he loved, but suddenly, this past March, his numbers changed, and so did his life. Now, David needs a liver transplant and a donor to save his life.

“Like many others, we thought that organ donations only came through getting on a transplant list. But that's not true. People can save someone’s life by making a live donation. The only requirement is the same blood type.

“Unfortunately for us, David has the most common type of blood. That means that there are more people waiting for a transplant with his blood type, so the transplant list is longer and so is the wait. It could take years for David to move up the list, becoming frailer over time, so his best chance is a live donor while he is still relatively strong.

“We are asking for your help to spread the word.

“Most people are not aware that the liver is the only organ in the body that actually regenerates, so if someone donates a portion of their liver it will grow back, unlike a kidney.

“Of course, there are some restrictions and testing that would need to be done to see if the donor is compatible, and all medical expenses are paid.

“But there are thousands of people who don’t make it because they are waiting, and waiting. Most people are not aware of live donations, or the difference they can make in someone’s life, not just ours.

‘We are looking to the community for help, as we grew up in the area and made our lives here. Although we specifically are looking for a live liver donor, we feel that this is an opportunity to educate the community about live donation.

“Most people aren’t aware that the liver regrows; we certainly didn't have that knowledge. Perhaps our story would lead to more live donations and save more lives.”

How To Help

People who are interested in becoming a humanitarian donor should contact the Living Donor Team at the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, using David Mogel’s name as the intended recipient.

• Email: LivingDonorTeam@NYULangone.org
• Phone: 212-263-8133, Option 4; if a recording is reached, press the button for “service” and leave a message for a callback.

All potential donors must fill out a donor questionnaire, which can be accessed here: redcap.link/nyuliverdonor. Again, use David Mogel’s name in answer to the section that asks: Who are you interested in donating to?

Potential donors may also contact the Mogels directly at daveneedsaliver@gmail.com.

About Patch People

Patch People is a recurring feature telling the stories of readers, including their interests, passions, challenges, triumphs and seminal moments that resulted in profound change, with a goal of making us all feel a bit more connected. Or, you may want to talk about something entirely different, and that’s OK, too. Readers can submit their stories through this form or by email to beth.dalbey@patch.com.